Colorado University Athletics
Bohn Addresses Facilities, Financials At Media Event
WESTMINSTER, Colo. -- University of Colorado Athletic Director Mike Bohn began his quarterly media roundtable on Tuesday under a clear blue sky, and after an hour filled with poetic optimism and unwavering conviction it seemed like a rather appropriate setting for such an event.
Despite a year of fiscal loss off the field and some disappointment on it, Bohn never wavered in front of a handful of local reporters who may have expected something of a eulogy rather than the commendation he delivered.
GÇ£Although it was a challenging year for many reasons, we believe we are getting better and better every day,GÇ¥ Bohn said. "It doesnGÇÖt always show up on the scoreboard in some sports, but our commitment is there.GÇ¥
Bohn began his address by identifying each of the hurdles placed before the athletic department over the 2012-13 year. He acknowledged the need for an improvement in facilities in order to enhance the schoolGÇÖs recruitment efforts and boost visibility in the sometimes ever-changing landscape of college athletics.
GÇ£We recognize the need for improvement but what we do have is better than most people think and a number of Pac-12 officials have told me the same thing,GÇ¥ Bohn said. GÇ£We are behind, but weGÇÖre striving. WeGÇÖre continuing to pace nicely, not just in terms of facilities but at everything put together.GÇ¥
The talk of a new indoor football practice facility continues to be at the forefront of the universityGÇÖs future plans and Bohn continued to expound upon the details of those plans on Tuesday.
GÇ£We know that we need an indoor practice facility in order to compete with the other Pac-12 schools,GÇ¥ said Bohn. GÇ£It will be an anchor for our program and weGÇÖre hustling to raise money this summer (to make it happen). It will also help our other programs because many of them will have the opportunity to be able to practice there.GÇ¥
Bohn spoke in length about the future of the track and field program and its need for an upgrade in facilities as the long term future of the ancient Balch Fieldhouse becomes less and less viable with each passing year.
GÇ£We know we need to find a workout place for our track program because Balch isnGÇÖt a long term solution,GÇ¥ said Bohn. GÇ£ItGÇÖs important to find an avenue to help (cross country/rack coach Mark) Wetmore with whatever he needs in order to improve his team and to recruit.GÇ¥
The departmentGÇÖs fiscal losses over the past year can be attributed almost directly to the lack of success by its football program which is traditionally the biggest money maker in college athletics.
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| Tuesday's media event was also a celebration for former coach
Bill McCartney who will be inducted into the College Football Hall
of Fame in December Photo Courtesy: Chip Bromfield, Promotion, Ltd |
In 2012, the Buffaloes struggled through a tumultuous 1-11 campaign under second-year head coach, Jon Embree. As a result, individual ticket sales dwindled significantly and season ticket renewals took a major hit as well. The firing of Embree in November and subsequent hiring of ex-San Jose State head coach, Mike MacIntyre has helped to somewhat stem those losses and Bohn is still hopeful that the number of tickets sold will see a dramatic spike as the start of the season draws nearer. That, coupled with a recent surge in attendance at both menGÇÖs and womenGÇÖs basketball games makes Bohn and the department very optimistic.
GÇ£We had tremendous attendance numbers in basketball (last year),GÇ¥ Bohn said. GÇ£We even set some attendance records for the men and attendance for the women was second best in the conference. Those numbers help us win games, they help us recruit, and they help us to keep our head coaches.
"I also think our football numbers will improve. We have left our pricing structure the same so we are hopeful we will see a bump in attendance this fall.GÇ¥
Another reason for the lower financial numbers is the lack of a television deal between the conferenceGÇÖs Pac-12 Network and the nationGÇÖs biggest satellite cable company, DirecTV. The inability of the more than 35 million DirecTV subscribers to access the Pac-12 Network decreases the visibility of each university and makes the conference as a whole less viable than those they are competing against in terms of both recruiting and marketing.
GÇ£We are frustrated as a conference that there is still no deal done with DirecTV.GÇ¥ Bohn said. GÇ£It is a huge piece weGÇÖre missing. We have four of the five major carriers already so we are hopeful that something will get worked out soon.GÇ¥
Amidst a number of hopeful propositions, Bohn welcomed the opportunity to speak favorably about the universityGÇÖs impressive overall GPA among student-athletes which saw an unprecedented increase during the 2012-13 school year. The overall GPA of Colorado student-athletes for the spring 2013 semester was 2.935, the highest on record. That after a fall semester in which student-athletes achieved a GPA that was the best for any fall semester on record.
GÇ£We are very proud to see our athletes perform so well in the classroom,GÇ¥ Bohn said. GÇ£We will continue to recruit the best student-athletes to our university and hopefully (those numbers will continue to increase).GÇ¥
Bohn also spoke enthusiastically about the impending addition of a womenGÇÖs lacrosse program which will begin play in the spring of 2014. The team will play its home games at nearby Kittredge Field and bring the universityGÇÖs number of NCAA regulated athletic programs to 17.
GÇ£We are excited that by this time next year we will be just concluding our first season of womenGÇÖs lacrosse,GÇ¥ said Bohn. GÇ£We will install a new field turf at Kittredge and we are hopeful the team will play its first game at Folsom with Ralphie leading them onto the field.GÇ¥
BohnGÇÖs roundtable closed with the assurance that he and the department are working vehemently towards making sure the university starts to distinguish itself from the rest of the Pac-12. He spoke of increased equity for the coaches and then talked passionately about the Coaches Caravan event that is becoming a harbor for creating a bond between programs and for promoting the spirit of camaraderie with a fan base that covers the entire state. And as he left the room an entire university awaits the promise of what lies ahead.