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Post by hawaii bill on Nov 6, 2014 17:42:55 GMT -5
Anyone hear anything since the last time we did a thread? Curious to see if any progress has been made. I understand we've gotten the new scoreboards and they are pretty cool and they can be repurposed for the reconfigured Hynes. Guy at one time you were contemplating doing a sticky thread, is that still an option?
GOD BLESS ALL THESE FREAKIN' GAELS OUT HERE!!!!!
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Post by GuyF on Nov 6, 2014 18:37:35 GMT -5
You won't see updates until we start seeing some dinero.
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Post by hawaii bill on Nov 6, 2014 18:55:25 GMT -5
There haven't been any contributions? This will take longer than I thought.
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Post by Super on Nov 6, 2014 19:29:29 GMT -5
You won't see updates until we start seeing some dinero. Sorry Guy, the campaign will likely not commence until Spring at the earliest. |
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Post by ic1983 on Nov 6, 2014 21:03:15 GMT -5
I ask Nyre at a lunch I'll be going to soon with him and some other alums.
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Post by hawaii bill on Nov 6, 2014 21:22:56 GMT -5
I'm confused. Was under the impression the campaign already started. I may have missed something.
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Post by ic1983 on Nov 6, 2014 22:23:15 GMT -5
My impression is that we are in the very early stages of the campaign. These campaigns have a long "quiet" phase as the first step, which is designed to share information and build support for the next stage of the campaign, where specific objectives and fund raising goals are announced. This is going to be the largest campaign in Iona's history and Hynes is only one part of it. Done right, a major capital campaign is a multiple year effort. This administration will do this right.
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Post by Super on Nov 7, 2014 6:32:38 GMT -5
My impression is that we are in the very early stages of the campaign. These campaigns have a long "quiet" phase as the first step, which is designed to share information and build support for the next stage of the campaign, where specific objectives and fund raising goals are announced. This is going to be the largest campaign in Iona's history and Hynes is only one part of it. Done right, a major capital campaign is a multiple year effort. This administration will do this right. Exactly! We'll all be asked for $$$ directly when the target goals are established. Campaign will ultimately include several facilities, endowed faculty positions (of which we only have one now--and that was initiated by Nyre), and endowed programs. www.iona.edu/Support-Iona/Campaign/Iona-Forever-Campaign-(1).aspx |
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Post by Cjb on Nov 7, 2014 7:29:53 GMT -5
Does anyone besides me wonder how a changing NCAA landscape might effect a project of this magnitude?
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Post by hawaii bill on Nov 7, 2014 7:36:44 GMT -5
Ok got it. I'm not too familiar with private entity fund raising. I should look up on the interwebs how it's done. I've donated this year to the Iona Forever campaign. I'm assuming in the spring there will be a more targeted effort focused on the Hynes renovation, is that right? And I guess at that point we'll hear what the plan is about seating capacity, etc?
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Post by hawaii bill on Nov 7, 2014 7:39:27 GMT -5
Does anyone besides me wonder how a changing NCAA landscape might effect a project of this magnitude? That's a great question. It has to be forward looking. If we want to join the a-10 for instance at some point, it will have to contemplate seating capacity in that conference I would think. If we want to stand pat we have to compete at the Perceived MAAC level. Either way we need to do something IMO. |
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Post by ic59 on Nov 7, 2014 8:11:19 GMT -5
Not sure why we would want to leave the MAAC. If we continue our basketball success, and upgrade our bb facility to a 4000 capacity venue, I wouldn't think that it would be long before other MAAC schools follow suit. Consider that at present only Monmouth and Quinnipiac have these type of facilities and Siena and Fairfield rent arenas that enable them to attract BB talent. I could see FF following Loyola and 'downgrading' their bb program. But I doubt that there are any other present MAAC teams that would go that route. If Hofstra sees us with an upgraded facility (still far from certain) they might want to join the MAAC. I just don't see that we have to try for a higher rated conference, just help our own get better.
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Post by hawaii bill on Nov 7, 2014 9:05:40 GMT -5
Not sure why we would want to leave the MAAC. If we continue our basketball success, and upgrade our bb facility to a 4000 capacity venue, I wouldn't think that it would be long before other MAAC schools follow suit. Consider that at present only Monmouth and Quinnipiac have these type of facilities and Siena and Fairfield rent arenas that enable them to attract BB talent. I could see FF following Loyola and 'downgrading' their bb program. But I doubt that there are any other present MAAC teams that would go that route. If Hofstra sees us with an upgraded facility (still far from certain) they might want to join the MAAC. I just don't see that we have to try for a higher rated conference, just help our own get better. That's a great point. This is what has to be wrestled with from a strategic standpoint, among other things. I wouldn't want to go to the A-10 if it meant we would be Fordham for the next 20 years. This is a crossroads time however and this Administration has the opportunity to define what Iona is going to be going forward. I keep coming back to the old business adage "Grow or die." This is a crucial time for all colleges as I don't think the tuition bubble is going to last forever and of course with the changing face of athletics schools that navigate these turbulent waters will thrive and those that don't will be in a world of hurt. And really for the first time in a long time, IMHO, we have an administration that actually knows what its doing, has the energy and a secure enough ego to do it right. In the four years Dr. Nyre has been here, we've doubled the endowment from $50 million to $100 million. That's outstanding. So where do we want to be in 2020 re athletics? In the MAAC? In the A-10? I don't know what the right answer is, but I think if I were running things I'd shoot for the A-10. That would mean a 4-5K seating arena on campus, which could be purposed for all kinds of things beyond Men's and Women's hoops. The place would need quality locker rooms, weight rooms, etc. and would have to look good on TV so that it could attract quality recruits. Of course that's easy for me to say from the comfort of my own home as to how I would do things. We need vision at this point. Very exciting time. I was thrilled to see Dr. Nyre step up last year and retain Cluess. Let's follow through on this. |
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Post by ic1983 on Nov 7, 2014 9:57:06 GMT -5
Not sure why we would want to leave the MAAC. If we continue our basketball success, and upgrade our bb facility to a 4000 capacity venue, I wouldn't think that it would be long before other MAAC schools follow suit. Consider that at present only Monmouth and Quinnipiac have these type of facilities and Siena and Fairfield rent arenas that enable them to attract BB talent. I could see FF following Loyola and 'downgrading' their bb program. But I doubt that there are any other present MAAC teams that would go that route. If Hofstra sees us with an upgraded facility (still far from certain) they might want to join the MAAC. I just don't see that we have to try for a higher rated conference, just help our own get better. That's a great point. This is what has to be wrestled with from a strategic standpoint, among other things. I wouldn't want to go to the A-10 if it meant we would be Fordham for the next 20 years. This is a crossroads time however and this Administration has the opportunity to define what Iona is going to be going forward. I keep coming back to the old business adage "Grow or die." This is a crucial time for all colleges as I don't think the tuition bubble is going to last forever and of course with the changing face of athletics schools that navigate these turbulent waters will thrive and those that don't will be in a world of hurt. And really for the first time in a long time, IMHO, we have an administration that actually knows what its doing, has the energy and a secure enough ego to do it right. In the four years Dr. Nyre has been here, we've doubled the endowment from $50 million to $100 million. That's outstanding. So where do we want to be in 2020 re athletics? In the MAAC? In the A-10? I don't know what the right answer is, but I think if I were running things I'd shoot for the A-10. That would mean a 4-5K seating arena on campus, which could be purposed for all kinds of things beyond Men's and Women's hoops. The place would need quality locker rooms, weight rooms, etc. and would have to look good on TV so that it could attract quality recruits. Of course that's easy for me to say from the comfort of my own home as to how I would do things. We need vision at this point. Very exciting time. I was thrilled to see Dr. Nyre step up last year and retain Cluess. Let's follow through on this. Bill, I agree with your comments about Nyre and Cluess' leadership. We are fortunate to have both of them. I'm not sure that I agree about moving up to the A10 as a goal. First, the A10 in 2020 is likely to be substantially less attractive as a conference than it is today, since several of the more attractive teams will likely leave as a result of continued conference realignment. Second, the A10's geographic footprint would significantly increase Iona's travel costs for all sports. Is A10 membership (we'd be moving for basketball), especially in a diminished A10, worth that? Even with the extra TV money and NCAA splits, we would likely be in a net loss situation. Third, we are a big fish in the MAAC, and would not be in the A10. We wouldn't be a Fordham like train wreck, but it is not likely that we would have the power position we have in the MAAC. My hope is that the MAAC improves in two ways. First, better leadership at the top. For a lot of reasons, I'm not all that impressed by Ensor. The MAAC has a much weaker brand identity and media presence than we should. With the right leadership we can improve that. Second, a greater conference wide commitment to stronger OOC scheduling, to improve the conf RPI and strengthen our case for 2 bid status every year. I think those are attainable goals for the MAAC, and overall I think that the MAAC is the right place for Iona. Right now 2 coaches are leading the charge for conf improvement, Cluess and Massielo. We need the MAAC leadership to drive this to completion. |
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Post by ic59 on Nov 7, 2014 10:05:07 GMT -5
I can't foresee any way that we'd allow a Fordham type of program. Going back to the days of Brother Driscoll, Iona has known that the success of the BB, in fact the entire sports program, was instrumental to the well being of the College. There have been bumps along the way, but I don't believe that the belief at the top ever did change.
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