Bowling Green State University Athletics
Ask The AD -- May 30, 2007
May 30, 2007 | General
May 30, 2007
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - Each week, Bowling Green State University Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Greg Christopher answers questions that have been submitted to BGSUFalcons.com. Here is the latest installment ...
We hope to see everyone this weekend at our inaugural Falcon Bash. Whether you can join us for golf or just the dinner with Urban Meyer and the coaches, we look forward to seeing Falcon fans on Saturday.
Q: How do we continue to attract better teams (i.e. Minnesota) to play us at The Doyt?
Fred in Ohio
Football series generally fall into three basic categories:
You have heard me say this before, but we are working toward six home games and a non-conference schedule that puts us in a position to be at least 2-2 heading into MAC play. In the years ahead we have to complete a few 2/1 series that were on the books and a stray guarantee game or two. Ultimately, our scheduling will focus on teams from other non-BCS conferences, the occasional 2/1 series and perhaps a few I-AA teams to try and maintain six home games. I think this mix will bring competitive teams into The Doyt on a regular basis.
Q: How can we prevent teams from cancelling on us like Florida International did? I also recall that South Florida cancelled on BGSU a few years ago.
Bob in Columbus
The best solution I have seen is to put a large buyout into the contract, which forces institutions to think twice before cancelling. Any contract we are working on now includes a buyout of at least $500,000.
Q: Why didn't you include Cincinnati on your Barnstorming Tour this summer? There are a lot of BG fans in Southwest Ohio!
Debbie in Fairfield
Our Barnstorming Tour is a new effort to take coaches, student-athletes and staff on the road to BGSU fans. It's easy for us to ask fans and alums to come to campus for games, but in an effort to increase support and attendance, we're reaching out to the Orange & Brown faithful this summer.
In starting the Barnstorming Tour from scratch, our first priority was Northwest Ohio. Thus our eight stops this summer range from Cleveland to the east and Lima to the south. Columbus and Cincinnati are obvious pockets of BGSU fans and alums that we aren't hitting this summer. In the years ahead we hope to expand and change the tour to include those areas.
Q: What will become of the offices in Perry Stadium currently being used by the football coaches once they leave for the Sebo Center?
Thomas in New York
One benefit of the Sebo Center is that it will allow us to combine our staff to a degree. Currently, BGSU Athletics has staff spread across campus in six different locations. This can make communication and the semblance of "one team" a challenge at times. As the office dominoes fall this summer, we'll end up with staff a little better consolidated. The administrative offices on the west side of Perry Stadium will be vacated by Athletics and used for much-needed storage and support groups. As for the specific former football offices, that wing will house most of our external relations staff - communications, marketing and sales.
