The Akron Zips FB program

[Penguin Nation]

Whatever tiny piece of me that wanted YSU to join the MAC and play in the FBS is now gone after reading about the money UA is hemorrhaging due to FB.  The University is actually buying tickets to avoid being kicked out of the FBS.

The article mentions YSU:

"Even Youngstown State University, which plays in the lower Football Championship Subdivision, reported drawing 84,669 fans for seven games — an average of 12,096."


http://www.ohio.com/news/local/university-of-akron-football-attendance-lowest-in-nation-1.603992

How long can they sustain these losses? I don't see how they can add FCOA schollies to an already unaffordable program.  I wonder what the future is for their program, and for Terry Bowden.  Maybe drop to FCS?  They should swallow their undeserved pride and get YSU on their schedule ASAP to improve attendance, which it would do. 

[guinpen]

Interesting read, it is a joke that the ncaa allows schools to buy their own tickets every two years so schools can "pretend" to be "bigtime"

akron is a joke, good for them

[The YO Show]

Thats insane! YSU averaged better attendance when the last two home games must have really lowered YSU's average too! I remember hardly a couple thousand people if that at the last two games. If we had that few and still had an average over Akron... man thats unbelievable! Especially their student numbers. They have 10k more students than we did and gave free tuition away for the spring for 3 lucky students who attended a game. If you did that at YSU, and made the drawing at the end of the game, out of 15k students, you'd get at least 10k butts in the seats.

Frankly, Akron should just agree to a home and home series with YSU and drop to the FCS. What can they argue against a home and home series now that they won't be able to say "oh you won't have enough attendance"?

[ysufan0505]

University of Akron football is a joke. Always has been.

[Penguin Nation]

If they had any brains they'd join the MVFC for FB and Horizon for all other sports. They lose Kent but pick up YSU and CSU as regional rivals. The MVFC could pick up UND to keep even numbers.

When I used to go to the Rubber Bowl, we used to joke that it was a home game. Nothing but red and white filling the stands cheering loudly for the Penguins.

[guinpen]

When I used to go to the Rubber Bowl, we used to joke that it was a home game. Nothing but red and white filling the stands cheering loudly for the Penguins.

Yep I agree

[Wick250]

Those of us who have followed northeastern Ohio college football for many years are not surprised by any revelations in that article.  We knew that the attendance numbers at Akron and Kent were fraudulent.  We now know the exact expensive procedure that Akron concocts in their misguided quest to be considered big time.

Akron might be the most distressed public university in America.  Driven by their delusions of grandeur, they borrowed millions upon millions to construct a campus for 30,000 students.  The result: the iron law of northeastern Ohio demographics caught up with them as their enrollment declined by 5,000 within a few years.  Don't you just love that one figure in the article?  Akron pays 4.3 million in debt service each year on their stadium that sits virtually empty. And that is just the tip of their financial iceberg.  Could not happen to a more deserving bunch of snobs.

[coachtress]

The University of Akron just announced as part of major budget cuts, they are cutting their baseball program.

[Wick250]

Yes, Akron baseball is finished.  Worse, the school is cutting 215 positions and reducing their budget by $40 million.  Meanwhile, under Tressel, YSU has reduced its total deficit from $10 million to $3 million in a single year.  For perspective, the total deficit at YSU is now LESS than the yearly debt service that Akron is paying on their empty new football stadium. 

[ysuseasonticket]

The University of Akron just announced as part of major budget cuts, they are cutting their baseball program.

Why am I not feeling sorry for them 

[guinpen]

The University of Akron just announced as part of major budget cuts, they are cutting their baseball program.

Why am I not feeling sorry for them 

Because you're a Guin

[Penguin Nation]

Funny tweet from an Akron fan:

"This would not have happened under President Tressel (or Mayor Zac Jackson)"

http://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2015/07/university_of_akron_students_f.html

I wonder how this affects Akron's relationship with the MAC.  I believe they will be the only MAC school w/o a baseball program.

[penguinpower]

The University of Akron just announced as part of major budget cuts, they are cutting their baseball program.

Why am I not feeling sorry for them 

Because you're a Guin

And the Zits suck

[IAA Fan]

Funny tweet from an Akron fan:

"This would not have happened under President Tressel (or Mayor Zac Jackson)"

http://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2015/07/university_of_akron_students_f.html

I wonder how this affects Akron's relationship with the MAC.  I believe they will be the only MAC school w/o a baseball program.

If that is the case, then the answer is "no".  The MAC will still qualify for the NCAA post-season. With the success of Kent, baseball in the MAC has become very expensive. I see several other teams dropping baseball as well.

[ysufan0505]

Problem is, Akron spent all that money to build that football stadium because the rubber bowl was falling apart, and now they are one of the worst D-1 football programs in the nation lol. That program makes no revenue whatsoever and that stadium never hosts any other events besides football games. It's a shame.