March 30, 2006
Friends,
Baylor spring sports are off to a terrific start with every team ranked in the Top 30 nationally heading into action this weekend. I hope that you can come out and support our teams as they compete for Big 12 and NCAA championships this spring.
Football season ticket renewals are rolling in at a fast pace. The season ticket deadline is April 14, so be sure to renew today. We will be offering fans with seats in the new and improved Bear Club area to get as first hand look at the new seating during the Spring Football Game on Saturday, April 8 beginning at 1:00 p.m. I think everyone will be excited about the expanded leg room and attractive mid-field chairback seats.
The Bear Foundation will host its annual Fund Drive Kick-off on April 8 beginning at 11:00 a.m. Please join us for fun, food and kick-off this year's campaign in the Bear Zone, behind the South End Zone prior to the start of the Spring Football Game.
On the same day, will be dedicating the Mathew Dove Letterwinners Plaza beginning at 12:15 p.m. We invite all letterwinners and fans to attend the dedication on the East side of the Stadium as we express our appreciation to Mr. Dove for his strong support of Baylor football. Baylor will be hosting the Big 12 men's and women's tennis championships on April 27-30. I encourage fans to come out and cheer on Baylor's men's and women's teams as they seek to claim the Big 12 championship at the Baylor Tennis Center.
Just two weeks later, Baylor will host the Big 12 men's and women's track and field championships at Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex. Competition will run May 12-14 and feature some of the finest track and field student-athletes in the nation.
We have a number of interesting questions this week, so here goes ...
Ian,
First of all I would like to say good job and congratulations on the successful job your team has done to further Baylor athletics. After reading your response to the marketing and fundraising struggles Baylor faces due to the small number of students and alumni compared to Texas and A&M, I was reminded of a strategy that I have seen at Clemson. As you may know, they have a alumni program called IPTAY, standing for I Pay Ten A Year, and the goal is for each alumni to give $10 bucks each year. That might not sound like much but it would add up if all alums from 23 to their late 70s or 80s participated.
In addition, each alum that participates received a t-shirt with the letters IPTAY across the front. That way they can wear it with pride at sporting games to show that they are a faithful and generous donor. (I encourage you to go to their athletic website and check it out) Maybe your staff could come up with an attractive way for alumni to give, instead of just asking for money. If you establish a reasonable precedent, I think results would be very favorable. Good job again, and thanks for your time.
Matt McCarter
Dallas, Texas
Matt,
Thank you for the kind comments and suggestion about Clemson's IPTAY program. We do need every Baylor alum and friend to become involved in the Bear Foundation even at our minimum level of $150. This support translates directly into the athletic and academic success that Baylor student-athletes are experiencing. The Bear Foundation is coming off its best year ever, however, supporting student-athlete scholarships requires that we raise the bar each year. If you have not done so already, please join the Bear Foundation or renew your membership today!
Ian
Ian; There were a couple true freshman football players that played this past year, but very sparingly. I was wondering what it takes to burn a redshirt? Is there a maximum amount of playing time or does any playing time burn the redshirt?
Rick Smith
Waco, Texas
Rick,
Thank you for the excellent question. Typically, a student-athlete is redshirted by practicing but not participating in any intercollegiate competition. However, in an instance where a student-athlete is injured and plays in less than 20 percent of a team's competitions all during the first half of the season, he/she may be eligible for a medical redshirt. In 2005, football players Mikail Baker, Carl Sims and Queito Teasley all lettered as true freshman and the rest of the class redshirted.
Ian
Ian, There has been a lot of talk recently about the non-conference schedule of Texas A&M's men's basketball program and how it is impacting their chances of receiving a bid to the NCAA tourney. What can we expect to see for the Baylor men's program as it relates to the non-conference schedule next season? When will it be announced?
Thanks,
Matt Erkmann
Richmond, Va.
Editor's Note: A similar question was received from John Ferrell (Bedford, Texas)
Matt,
Developing an appropriate non-conference schedule is second only to recruiting in developing a successful basketball program in my view. There are many instances that I have observed over the years where coaches in a variety of different sports have scheduled themselves into or out of postseason competition.
Baylor's 2006-07 men's basketball schedule is more than one-half complete at this time. We anticipate playing in a pre-season tournament along with a couple of marquee games that may be televised. The majority of the non-conference games will be played at the Ferrell Center, and that will be a great early opportunity for our fans to witness the exciting and talented team that Coach Drew has assembled. I would anticipate that the schedule will be completed by mid-summer.
Ian
Ian, Do you have any plans on launching a new men's sport...like soccer? With the tremendous talent in the state of Texas it seems that we could create a solid program. I hope that your plans include adding men's soccer to the fantastic athletic department!
Please tell your staff we are proud of the behind the scenes work they do.
Jonathon Day
Knoxville, Tenn.
Jonathon,
We do not have any plans to add additional men's sports at Baylor. The Board of Regents has approved adding an 11th women's sport in 2010-11. I really appreciate the kind words about our staff. While our coaches and student-athletes are highly visible and receive a great deal of public affirmation, Baylor is blessed to have great people in place on our administrative and support staff who make vital contributions to the overall success of the athletic program. I join you in thanking those staff members for their outstanding contributions!
Ian
Ian; As the Baylor Family continues to experience great success at all levels (Men's and Women's Basketball, Baseball, Football, Softball, Tennis, Track and Field, etc.), to the extent permissible by university policy, what steps are being taken to insure Baylor's successful athletic future in retaining the current coaching staff(s)?
Arturo Salinas
Eagle Pass, Texas
Arturo,
I have a policy of not publicly commenting on the status of coaches contracts. However, I can assure you that Baylor is committed to achieving success in all sports and we expect to retain our outstanding coaches. However, no institution is immune to having talented coaches depart from time to time including Oklahoma and Purdue in men's and women's basketball, respectively, just this week. The best way for our alumni and friends to ensure that coaches are retained is to buy season tickets, attend games, support the teams and join the Bear Foundation. Your support is the most critical component in ensuring a bright future for Baylor Athletics!
Ian
Ian; How do I find out how much basketball season tickets are for the Baylor men's and women's games next season will be. When and where can I purchase them?
Are there any discounts for seniors, etc.?
Thanks,
Sam Bridges
Waco, Texas
Sam,
We expect a rush on both men's and women's basketball season tickets next year. With the outstanding players returning coupled with the best basketball recruiting classes in school history, games at the Ferrell Center will be a tough ticket in 2006-07.
We are in the process of handling our football renewals, so it will be late in the summer before we begin selling basketball tickets. We do not anticipate significant increases in men's or women's basketball ticket prices for next year, so they will be affordable for all fans.
Ian
Ian; Are we aggressively marketing the Victory with Integrity fundraiser? The reason I ask this question is because I have only received one piece of literature on it and that was a year ago. I am sure you realize that this fundraiser will play an instrumental role in the overall future success of our athletic programs in the Big 12.
Andrew
San Antonio, Texas
Andrew,
Athletic development is among our highest priorities. We have spent a great deal of time and effort promoting the Victory With Integrity campaign. As I have mentioned previously, we have had a successful first year of the campaign, but we have a long way to go to reach the $90 million goal. I want to thank all of you who have contributed to Baylor Athletics during the first year and please continue to support this vital campaign and encourage friends and family members to do the same.
Ian
