LBSU Athletic Director Vic Cegles Proposes $20 million renovation of Blair Field and Negates CSULB Students Call for Football

:Jenna Skarzenski | Daily 49er

By Jason Aula

LBSU Athletic Director Vic Cegles has made a few comments in the Daily 49er and Press Telegram over the past few weeks that seem to use ad hominem arguments to avoid actually addressing Bring Back 49er Football's proposal (http://bringback49erfootball.weebly.com/proposal.html).

In Monday's Long Beach Press-Telegram, he reaffirmed his stance by saying, "It's very, very, very, very unrealistic."- 2/16/2011 Daily 49er

Vic Cegles, athletic director at the university, said there are numerous challenges to overcome to set up a football team, including having a stadium, coaches, scholarships, an academic support system, while also providing equal resources for women's sports. "It's very, very, very, very unrealistic," Cegles added.-Press Telegram -2/14/2011

Proposed Renovation of Blair Field

Mr. Cegles, it is very very very unrealistic to renovate Blair Field (http://www.daily49er.com/sports/blair-field-renovation-closer-to-20-million-1.2461648) with the projected costs reaching almost $20 million, when a 10,000 seat on campus stadium could be built with less then that amount (http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/Fall99/v7n20/football.html). Bring Back 49er Football estimates that for about $15 million an on campus 10,000 seat stadium could be built. Having a football team will increase alumni donations making it easier to finance future capital improvements. Bring Back 49er Football has over 2,300 students requesting football, not a $20 million renovation project of an off campus baseball field (Did I mention the stadium will be ON CAMPUS). There is no proven demand for this renovation, why not redirect the funds to an on campus 10,000 seat stadium? A 10,000 seat on campus stadium would better suit students desires and calls. Having an on campus stadium would not only be limited to the use of the student body, but it would also serve as a revenue source through public rentals. I say spend the $20 million on a stadium, there are more ways to profit from an on campus stadium which would benefit far more people then a renovation of the off campus facility: Blair Field.

It is unethical as a person and administrator, that you mislead the student body in regards to the Bring Back 49er Football Proposal(http://bringback49erfootball.weebly.com/media-coverage.html) The fact of the matter is, that the Proposal addresses and funds coaches, scholarships, and academic support. In addition Bring Back 49er Football's proposal includes equal funding for women's sports with the additions of NCAA Crew, Field Hockey, and Lacrosse.

Veterans Stadium Press Box

Mr. Cegles misleads students and onlookers with with his inaccurate comments that discredit Bring Back 49er Football's Proposal, not allowing the media to accurately present the facts of a referendum is quite unfair. The student activity fee would be phased in over 5 years meaning an annual semester increase would not exceed $25 (Phase in Fee Formula Year 1: $25, Y2: $25+$17= 42, Y3: $25+$17+$25= 67, Y4 $25+$17+$25+$13=80 Y5 80+$6 total 5 year phased increase =$86). The Bring Back 49er Football Proposal was modeled off Georgia State's study to reinstate football. Georgia State reinstated football at the Division 1AA level and has similar enrollment and tuition cost in comparison to CSULB. Georgia State, is a state college like CSULB.

Cegles also argues that a football team would have no place to play. The 49ers have their old home they left back in 1991. Veterans Memorial Stadium is still located in Long Beach minutes away from CSULB. Veterans Stadium could use a face lift, but she still holds over 10,000 people. Long Beach Poly High and Los Alamitos High sellout football games at Veterans Stadium on a regular basis, why can't Long Beach State?