McGuirk Upgrade

[minutefanjsf]

The gift is for a bubble and video board. It was not a gift that was some random number. The money is earmarked for these two items. The money for an a permanent IPF is not there. Banking the money or waiting for the funds to come in would be bad. I agree a permanent IPF is better, but when you want a Mercedes and can’t afford it you buy a beater that you can afford, because you need it.

Please don't be ridiculous. Marty Jacobson didn't buy a bubble, he made a donation. HIs donation could go towards an IPF just as easily as a bubble. I prefer an IPF because it can be used year round for various purposes, and it would be permanent addition to our Athletic facilities which could be augmented in the future. Therefore it would be a better investment of resources than buying a seasonal bubble.

As for crying poverty - UMass just acquired Mount Ida for 75M. I'm quite certain that we can figure out how to finance the construction of a permanent indoor practice facility for our athletes.

You think a donation with a specific amount of 5.58 million dollars was a donation without any strings or intent behind it? High end donations are routinely connected to specific projects. I completely agree that a permanent IPF is better than a bubble. The money is not there for it right now, and the department needs something for indoor training now. As for acquiring Mt. Ida, that actually limits how much money the school has to spend/borrow for other projects.

[Swampy]

As for crying poverty - UMass just acquired Mount Ida for 75M. I'm quite certain that we can figure out how to finance the construction of a permanent indoor practice facility for our athletes.

You might be but the rest of us know how the system works. Last I looked the University of Massachusetts was located in the state of Massachusetts. Further, it is located in western Massachusetts which might just as well be in upstate NY for our elected pols. The legislature is now and always has been a penny pinching bunch of non UMass grads who piss away money elsewhere but don't give two shits about what happens at Our State U.

Take the gift, be happy, and stop acting like you don't know about any of the above.

[69MG]

^ I think you are both right, with a small caveat. My guess is that Marty had an idea of what he wanted to fund and an approximate amount in mind. Then he and Ryan sat down and figured out what they could do. Good or bad, it was most likely a joint decision.

[sloves90_611]

And that long winded response isn't meant as a jab at your opinion Jack, I'm just bored during a layover at an airport and trying to kill some time

Hey whatever works to get you through a layover... Its all good - I've become inured to the UMass administration occasionally making odd business decisions. Spending millions to add a Bubble to McGuirk is lipstick on a pig. Comfortable Seating for STHs is lipstick on a pig that enhances the fan experience and ticket sales.

If they had the money for a permanent IPF do you think they would get a bubble?
Clearly you (and lots of other people) don’t understand how much a facility that they would be looking at costs. If/when they get an IPF, they should be going all in, it should be a lot closer to that A&M image than we think. That’s very expensive.
RB made it clear that he wants to invest in things that affect winning. Getting comfortable seating for the ST that, beyond this board, don’t really exist has no affect on winning. To be clear, I think the temporary chair back things above are a great idea.
The bubble will allow all sports to practice in the winter/spring months. Those extra reps affect winning.

Personally I’d rather them have a temporary bubble for the next 5 or so years and then go all in on a big time IPF than have nothing for the next 3-4 and get an entry level IPF, just my opinion.

[eldonabe]

I can see Jack's point, but you gotta start somewhere. The school cannot just take in a 5.58M donation and plunk it in a money market for a rainy day. That money is not coming in if it is not coming in for a specific purpose in the first place.

I am not for another hike in student fees for this stuff - The students pay a shitload of fees already; most of whom don't care about or emotionally support the programs/facilities that they are forced to pony up for.

[MJatUM]

How much does each student pay in fees for athletics and the facilities - It is not "a shitload."

[minutefanjsf]

How much does each student pay in fees for athletics and the facilities - It is not "a shitload."

https://www.umass.edu/bursar/fee-explanation
https://www.umass.edu/bursar/sites/defa ... d_FY19.pdf

Looks like with the tuition staying on campus now, the fees have been reduced immensely.

[Swampy]

^ Are you saying Eldon may have misspoke?

[InnervisionsUMASS]

He did in the sense that there is no more Athletics Fee, but tuition used to be about $2k for the year 18 years ago and is now $14k for in-state. Soooooooo....?

[minutefanjsf]

The price tag over the last few years has not changed dramatically just how it is allocated. About three years ago tuition was $1000 a semester with 5-6k in fees, because tuition went to the state and fees stayed on campus. New law allows tution to stay n campus and not be sent to the state. I graduated in 1995 and the total price tag has increased by about 90%, almost doubled.

[InnervisionsUMASS]

^

The overall cost has almost tripled since my first year in 2000. The bill for my freshman year, in-state, was just under 10k for tuition, fees, room and board. Amazing.

[minutefanjsf]

^

The overall cost has almost tripled since my first year in 2000. The bill for my freshman year, in-state, was just under 10k for tuition, fees, room and board. Amazing.

^when I graduated in 1995 tuition fees room and board were about 12.5k for in state. I paid it myself, so I remember it. It's about 29k now. I left food off, so the percent increase I put was wrong it's gone up about 150%.

[Swampy]

He did in the sense that there is no more Athletics Fee, but tuition used to be about $2k for the year 18 years ago and is now $14k for in-state. Soooooooo....?

Gas was $0.35/gal and an 8oz draft was $0.10 when I bought my first car and watched UMass play football up on campus.

[minutefanjsf]

He did in the sense that there is no more Athletics Fee, but tuition used to be about $2k for the year 18 years ago and is now $14k for in-state. Soooooooo....?

Gas was $0.35/gal and an 8oz draft was $0.10 when I bought my first car and watched UMass play football up on campus.

Even in 1995 a pitcher of Bud light was $5.. and we still went with $4.20 natty or busch light. Mikes still did a count down for the last hundred days taking a penny off drafts until they got to 10 cents fro the last two weeks.....oh the days.

[capezona]

He did in the sense that there is no more Athletics Fee, but tuition used to be about $2k for the year 18 years ago and is now $14k for in-state. Soooooooo....?

Gas was $0.35/gal and an 8oz draft was $0.10 when I bought my first car and watched UMass play football up on campus.

Yah, but that was in 1897.