Yes, times are tough. Everyone is looking to cut costs anywhere. Even athletic departments are not immune. That said, there are efficient cost reductions and there's being just plain cheap. Seton Hall has long been considered on the cheap side with their athletic department. They have skimped on academic support. They play their games off-campus. The college has been known to tap the athletic department budget to make up other budget shortfalls.This move, however, takes the (undoubtedly moderately-priced and purchased from the supermarket) cake.
The university has decided not to send the pep band and cheerleaders to the Big East Tournament to save money. Apparently the cost of chartering a bus or maybe two to take that group of students barely nineteen miles to and from Madison Square Garden, was just too much money to spend.
According to Jerry Carino, a New Jersey sports writer and journalism professor, the school decided to do this after finding out that Cincinnati and maybe DePaul were not going to send their pep bands to the Big East Tournament, because of the cost of the flight and hotel for the band. All other programs in the Big East are sending their cheer squads and pep bands.
Apparently, Seton Hall felt that Cincinnati's absence provided sufficient cover not to send its own pep band and cheerleaders, despite only having to provide bus service. In the Seton Hall administration's collective mind, there was little difference between paying for airline tickets and hotel accommodations in New York City, as Cincinnati would have to do, and a local bus charter.
Yes, Seton Hall is a small school, and the present economic climate is difficult. If, however, they find that they can't afford to have their band and cheerleaders go to the conference tournament within easy driving distance, then it might be time for Seton Hall to reconsider if it should be playing Division I basketball in a major conference. Clearly the costs must outweigh the money they are making.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-18-2009 @ 1:09PM
John Flanagan said...
It's rather clear that Chas Rich has no understanding of the Big East Conference, the history of the Big East, the history New York area college basketball, the costs of running a University, that playing off campus at a better facility might be better for your fans or any history charter members of the conference. [It took a special vote to get UCONN in instead of Temple back then Chas.]
If his focus is on Seton Hall's band, then he clearly isn't interested in basketball at all. He merely has an ax to grind against Seton Hall for some imagined past offense. It's, apparently, causing him to miss the point of the tournament. They declare the winner the league champion with an automatic NCAA berth by playing basketball, Chas. Guess that's not what your interested in.
But then, reporting is supposed to be about facts Chas. But, that clearly not being your occupation, I guess that facts don't concern you!
Although, now that I think about it, I'm quite sure Chas will be out there March 6 through the 10th sucking up to MSG and the Big East league officials while alleging to be a sports writer. This will all be in order to get a free seat at the Garden to watch the tournament of a league in a sport he clearly doesn't understand.
And, since Chas is clearly more concerned with methods of transport than basketball, maybe the NY MTA is hiring because he sure isn't concerned with being a sports writer.
Oh yeah! In case you're wondering Chas, I'm Seton Hall '68, a cheer leader from 66-68 and, when I was it's President, the SHU Booster culb always paid for the cheerleaders and the band's transport and their tickets. The money didn't come from the Athletic Department budget. You might want to check that. Oops there I go again. It's those darned facts, Chas --- those darned facts.
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2-18-2009 @ 1:10PM
sheabri said...
Can't they car pool?
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2-18-2009 @ 1:11PM
shaggy2jope said...
Flanagan,
We can all respect the fact you are an SHU alum, and the pride that goes with that. However, if my university did what Seton Hall plans to do, I would call it what it is: a flat out bush league move. It's also pretty embarassing for you to attack the credentials and ability of Chas as a writer just because he called out your beloved alma mater. Embarassing and classless.
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2-18-2009 @ 1:14PM
Chas Rich said...
Flanagan,
History is nice, but no one who went to Fordham is still dining out on their football legacies. If Seton Hall wants to be in a major conference, then they should act like it. If they feel their small size impacts their budget greater than others, then -- again -- maybe it's time to consider dropping down.
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2-19-2009 @ 1:16AM
Shannon said...
Flanagan,
It may have been the booster club then but its the school now.
The school is just being cheap, yes everyone is in a bind but the students shouldn't be the ones to suffer from it, especially with the recent extreme tuition hike. Yes things need to be cut but some of the other spending doesn't make sense. They are the closest school to MSG next to St. John's. The school also takes spends a lot of money advertising the fact that its only 14 miles from NYC. It's just a plain out dumb move on their part, and they may actually wind up spending more money on media control now in the end fixing everything.
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2-19-2009 @ 5:07PM
Mitch said...
I'm getting flashbacks from the Met Conference days when Seton Hall played the great Division 1 schools like Long Island Univ., Division 3 powers Wagner and Stoney Brook at the spacious Walah Gym, bring back those good old days. Class of "72"
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2-19-2009 @ 12:47PM
Juxtapose712 said...
Yes, God forbid that in a recession a school looks to cut its athletic budget over raising tuition.
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2-21-2009 @ 6:39PM
usbne2 said...
As an alum '92 it sounds a bit ridiculous to do this. Having played athletics there in my 4 years I would not describe them as cheap. This certainly is at the very least a bad PR move at the hopes of saving a few thousand dollars......
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2-24-2009 @ 8:53AM
Matt said...
Im a current senior at SHU. Its a $9.25 train ride that goes from South Orange (literally a 10 min walk from campus to MSG. 19x9.25= $175.75 that the institution would potentially be saving.
Did I mention tuition, room and board, is over $41,000 per student?
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