Here are more answers
June 6, 2002
CORAL GABLES, Fla (www.hurricanesports.com) –
Q: From Joe Garcia, Hialeah: Why is it that the University now requires a minimum $1,200 donation of all season ticket holders in sections S and T of the Orange Bowl.?
A: This question is complex Joe, but thanks for asking.
Back in 1984 when the Hurricane Club was started, a decision was made by the Athletics Department to forgive previous year season ticket holders of any new policies that were put in place at the time regarding ticket allocations and required donations. The intent was to grant this waiver as long as the University could afford to do so. Unfortunately, the operating costs of the department back then are dramatically different than they are today. For instance, back in 1984, the athletic department budget was around $10 million, today it’s over $34 million. Furthermore, the cost of a scholarship was about $9,700 in 1984 and today it is over $32,000.
Because of the ever increasing financial strains our department is experiencing, we can no longer afford to continue to provide those donors with an exception to the Hurricane Club donation requirements for those sections.
Q: From Cindy Martin, Coral Springs: How can you ask people who have supported the program over all these years to now donate or be moved to another section?
A: Through some difficult years in the ’70s those people were very loyal to us. We do recognize and appreciate that.
Conversely, we have not asked them to give to the Hurricane Club for the past 18 seasons during which time they have been rewarded with the best college football program in the country – 5 National Championships, 9 appearances in National Championship games, a 58-game home winning streak and a home winning percentage of almost 90% during that time. Now, the future of our program is at a critical stage.
As a private University, we are competing against Universities with many more resources, in particular, our chief rivals in FSU and UF. In order for us to remain competitive and continue to win national championships we now need the additional financial.
