Do you understand how big an accomplishment it was to get $10 million? And I can assure you that to get that mumber, he has shook a lot of hands, he has kissed a lot of ass and he has been very like able to reach that number.Hi-Line Bobcat wrote: ↑Sat Feb 09, 2019 8:09 pmVery accommodating and nice guy he may be, but as far as getting out in front of the public he is terrible at. I guarantee you, if you put costello’s face on a billboard 75% of bobcat nation/fans wouldn’t even know who he is. If you put waded on a billboard the exact opposite would happen. When your president gets more pub about athletics than the AD, you have a problem. Hell Fields would be more recognizable than Costello to the public. He needs to get his message and face out more in the public and I don’t think there is any room for argument there, is there? Maybe I’m wrong but he doesn’t do much around Billings or anywhere east of Bozeman for that matter.Cataholic wrote: ↑Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:36 pmI don’t understand your dislike of Costello. I have met Leon multiple times and he has always been very accommodating. And to raise $10 million in the short time that he has been here is pretty impressive. We did not need $10 million for past projects and it seemed to take a lot longer to raise those funds, including the fact that we had to financing a portion of those past expansions.Hi-Line Bobcat wrote: ↑Sat Feb 09, 2019 5:52 pmHell the stadium could be called Washington Bobcat Stadium, I don’t care just make it happen. Costello is running this like he wants it kept a secret, get out in the public and ask for the money.
Some may think it’s going as planned, but if you think Costello is any different than Fields, at this point in the process, your kidding yourself. I hope something changes fast, but I’m not holding my breath.
Facilities - Coach Choate
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
I think Choate agrees that we need to get that number that we’ve raised and how much more it is going to take out in public view. He made mention of a relaunch of the fundraising campaign and also half jokingly said that they should have a thermometer that he’d color in every morning as we approached our goal. I think Choate latest emphasis on the facilities goals shows he is getting impatient and is grabbing the ball himself and trying to push things forward.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
This really should not be that hard. If 6000 people commit to $1000 over the next 5 years, that would do it. That is only $200 per year. No wonder Choate is frustrated.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
This post makes it sound like this fundraising process has been going for 10 years and not making any progress.
It’s been what, 2 years? And we’re over $10 million. That’s pretty solid.
I want to see this stuff happen as much as anyone. But there is a reason why the overall athletics plan is a 20 year plan. This is going to take time, hopefully every 4-5 years something is being done, expecting more than that is probably unreasonable.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
But we can’t raise ticket prices or tailgate prices anymore because that would be ridiculous. You know the crowd, “I just can’t justify paying these prices anymore so I’m not getting season tickets this year”.
At work I have a 40 year plan and everybody thinks it’s going as planned, well because it’s a 40 year plan.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
One point I am trying to make is that this will go much faster if people make even a relatively modest pledge. In my example above, I am assuming someone can only afford $200 per year. If they send in say, a check for $20 each month, the Foundation can only count that money when each check is received. But if they pledge $1000 over 5 years, the Foundation counts $1000. I just think it should go fairly fast if a number of fans made a pledge over 5 years.Catsrgrood wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 3:27 pmThis post makes it sound like this fundraising process has been going for 10 years and not making any progress.
It’s been what, 2 years? And we’re over $10 million. That’s pretty solid.
I want to see this stuff happen as much as anyone. But there is a reason why the overall athletics plan is a 20 year plan. This is going to take time, hopefully every 4-5 years something is being done, expecting more than that is probably unreasonable.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
I dont disagree with you on this. The problem is pledges are not always collectible. People stop paying on them.HelenaCat wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:15 pmOne point I am trying to make is that this will go much faster if people make even a relatively modest pledge. In my example above, I am assuming someone can only afford $200 per year. If they send in say, a check for $20 each month, the Foundation can only count that money when each check is received. But if they pledge $1000 over 5 years, the Foundation counts $1000. I just think it should go fairly fast if a number of fans made a pledge over 5 years.Catsrgrood wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 3:27 pmThis post makes it sound like this fundraising process has been going for 10 years and not making any progress.
It’s been what, 2 years? And we’re over $10 million. That’s pretty solid.
I want to see this stuff happen as much as anyone. But there is a reason why the overall athletics plan is a 20 year plan. This is going to take time, hopefully every 4-5 years something is being done, expecting more than that is probably unreasonable.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
I've audited several not-for-profits in the past. Pledges are almost never recorded in the books because donors and can change their minds and pledges are not enforceable except in a very narrow and rare set of circumstances. Reputable not-for-profits do not record random pledges, which is implied what all us message board fans and even the average season ticket holder would be.HelenaCat wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:15 pmOne point I am trying to make is that this will go much faster if people make even a relatively modest pledge. In my example above, I am assuming someone can only afford $200 per year. If they send in say, a check for $20 each month, the Foundation can only count that money when each check is received. But if they pledge $1000 over 5 years, the Foundation counts $1000. I just think it should go fairly fast if a number of fans made a pledge over 5 years.Catsrgrood wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 3:27 pmThis post makes it sound like this fundraising process has been going for 10 years and not making any progress.
It’s been what, 2 years? And we’re over $10 million. That’s pretty solid.
I want to see this stuff happen as much as anyone. But there is a reason why the overall athletics plan is a 20 year plan. This is going to take time, hopefully every 4-5 years something is being done, expecting more than that is probably unreasonable.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
Sounds about right...
If we had 80,000 seat stadium sold out 6 games a year
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
I have been involved with raising relatively large amounts of money for projects and I have found that creativity, energy, and over communication are the key to reaching your goals.Cledus wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:24 pmI've audited several not-for-profits in the past. Pledges are almost never recorded in the books because donors and can change their minds and pledges are not enforceable except in a very narrow and rare set of circumstances. Reputable not-for-profits do not record random pledges, which is implied what all us message board fans and even the average season ticket holder would be.HelenaCat wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:15 pmOne point I am trying to make is that this will go much faster if people make even a relatively modest pledge. In my example above, I am assuming someone can only afford $200 per year. If they send in say, a check for $20 each month, the Foundation can only count that money when each check is received. But if they pledge $1000 over 5 years, the Foundation counts $1000. I just think it should go fairly fast if a number of fans made a pledge over 5 years.Catsrgrood wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 3:27 pmThis post makes it sound like this fundraising process has been going for 10 years and not making any progress.
It’s been what, 2 years? And we’re over $10 million. That’s pretty solid.
I want to see this stuff happen as much as anyone. But there is a reason why the overall athletics plan is a 20 year plan. This is going to take time, hopefully every 4-5 years something is being done, expecting more than that is probably unreasonable.
You need a team with energy to drive and keep driving for the goal. Fundraising is NEVER a 1 person deal, but must be a team of focused and "bought in" members who know the score, can shake the bushes and can inspire others to consider giving.
You must keep the vision in front of people. That includes the website stuff, BUT, and here's the key, website information gets buried. This seems to be a bit of what we are discussing in this thread. Sure MSU has a website where people can donate, but there has to be visuals (yes the thermometer kind of thing, or similar) and they need to be seen in several locations. They need to be changed regularly to keep the message fresh. Once you see something over time, you stop seeing it. But, verbal announcements, tv announcements, radio announcements have got to be something that is pursued.
Get creative with fundraising. Whales give out of a sense of legacy. They give to be part of the Uni in this case, but also to imbed their name into the cause. Smaller givers however will give when the mood hits them, OR, when they have a chance to win something....i.e. raffles. Solicit for hunting/fishing packages (I saw one earlier on this very thing), raffle off trips, flights, and meals/packages at Big Sky etc. etc. etc. Get as many of those going at once as you can. Just look at how much people give on a weekend for 50/50 tickets at a game. It begins to add up.
At any rate, yes, we can get there, but there needs to be a concerted effort that is many pronged. My guess is the whales have given to a point, and another few will come in, but, to get to the final goal it will require elbow grease, gumshoe canvasing, and good old excited energy!
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
Pretty interesting read in the Missoulian regarding the financial issues of the UM athletic department:
https://missoulian.com/news/local/unive ... -top-story
I placed it here because of the discussions in this thread regarding ticket sales and their new “Been a long time since they were Champions Center”. According to the article, UM took still owes $5 million for building the new facility... Talk about fiscal irresponsibility. The university is struggling in all kinds of areas and they take out $5 million in debt to build the new center??? Wow! UM athletics also account for about 15% of the university’s total debt. That is nuts!
https://missoulian.com/news/local/unive ... -top-story
I placed it here because of the discussions in this thread regarding ticket sales and their new “Been a long time since they were Champions Center”. According to the article, UM took still owes $5 million for building the new facility... Talk about fiscal irresponsibility. The university is struggling in all kinds of areas and they take out $5 million in debt to build the new center??? Wow! UM athletics also account for about 15% of the university’s total debt. That is nuts!
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
I’m shocked.Cataholic wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 11:01 pmPretty interesting read in the Missoulian regarding the financial issues of the UM athletic department:
https://missoulian.com/news/local/unive ... -top-story
I placed it here because of the discussions in this thread regarding ticket sales and their new “Been a long time since they were Champions Center”. According to the article, UM took still owes $5 million for building the new facility... Talk about fiscal irresponsibility. The university is struggling in all kinds of areas and they take out $5 million in debt to build the new center??? Wow! UM athletics also account for about 15% of the university’s total debt. That is nuts!
God, what a dumpster fire that entire college has become. It’s embarrassing. I mean, you just can’t make this stuff up.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
And plenty of kickers and wide receivers.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
Good lesson for those that want to take a loan out for everything we need.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
Monte is going to end up on the street at this pace, dancing for beer money and sleeping in various caves outside of town.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
And let's just say that enrollment continues to dump, how about another 8%... That would have negative effects on the bottom line... Correct?
What a mess over there.
What a mess over there.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
Excellent point!!
It also begs the question as to whether MSU has an athletic reserve fund, and if so what the status of it is.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
These are uncertain times. Something has to give with the rising cost of tuition and student loan debt. On top of that the potential problem in 10-15 years of low numbers for football as more and more parents aren't letting their kids play, and those who may have played before are opting for other sports due to the dangers of CTE.
If we build we need to make sure we have the money.
If we build we need to make sure we have the money.
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Re: Facilities - Coach Choate
MSU is obviously becoming THE flagship university in the state. I'm guessing what is going to happen is that UM will be another satellite school, call it MSU Missoula. They'll still be able to have a sports program but they'll compete at the NAIA level. MSU will continue to grow, and will move up to the FBS in sports within ten years.CelticCat wrote: ↑Mon Feb 18, 2019 10:37 amThese are uncertain times. Something has to give with the rising cost of tuition and student loan debt. On top of that the potential problem in 10-15 years of low numbers for football as more and more parents aren't letting their kids play, and those who may have played before are opting for other sports due to the dangers of CTE.
If we build we need to make sure we have the money.
Great time to be a BOBCAT!