This afternoon UNC Charlotte announced the committee that will attempt to raise the millions of dollars needed to get the 49ers' proposed football program off the ground. And the group has a pretty strong pedigree.
The honorary co-chairmen are Wachovia Championship general chairman Mac Everett and Lincoln Harris president Johnny Harris, who are involved in just about anything that Charlotte's institutions try to do. As is FairPoint CEO Gene Johnson, the guy who will have to do the heavy lifting as chairman of the committee.
More help is also available; the executive chairs are three former 49ers who are now chief financial officers at major corporations. David Hauser of Duke Energy, Bob Hull of Lowe's and Joe Price of Bank of America are on board.
Also, former Carolina Panthers Mike Rucker and Mike Minter are ambassadors for the group.
It's a tough time for such an ambitious project with the nation's economy seemingly slipping off a cliff. But then again, as Chancellor Phil Dubois and several committee members pointed out, it's never easy to get a program like this started.
The university has a general target of about $45 million, a figure that would go towards equipping the program, providing scholarships and building an on-campus stadium.
Football Seat Licenses for the proposed stadium are already being sold. Orders for more than 5,400 have been taken from more than 2,000 individuals. And payment on at least the first installment of 241 of those orders had been received as of Friday.
While the school hopes to begin play in 2013, nothing is set in stone.
"We're going to be very thoughtful about trying to set timeframes or unrealistic deadlines right now, given the economy," Johnson said after the press conference. "It's going to be hard, don't get me wrong. We've got to let the economy work its way out a little bit, understand where things are.
"It's a tough time to be doing anything, but if you don't get started, you won't get finished."--Stan Olson
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Heavy hitters join UNCC football fundraising team
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13 comments:
Wow!! Our first team is pretty impressive!!
Let's Go Niners!!!!
I had planned on buying a FSL until I saw the B.S. that the school pulled. Unless you "donate" money every year above and beyond what you paid for your FSL, they can move your seats year to year. In my opinion that is total B.S. and I will not buy one now. $2,000 was enough of an outlay, then trying to strong arm you every year, no thanks UNCC.
that's pretty much how all colleges operate. Seating location is always determined by donations. That's how it works for Charlotte basketball as well. The more you donate, the better your seats.
Awesome job guys! and to the person who says your mad about them requiring a donation to keep your seats the same.......do you expect someone who gives thousands of dollars to not get mad when they sit behind you....who gives nothing? Its a way to get people to contribute to this school.....just like EVERY other school does.
"Heavy hitters join UNCC football fundraising team" ????
UNCC football?
Hey, Chancellor Dubois. Guess what.....I am an FSL owner and 49er Club contributor, but I am sick and tired of the name confusion.
My FSLs and 49er Club $$$ supports Charlotte 49ers Football.
I don't what is worse. The Charlotte media still has not figured this out or the Chancellor does not see the need to take the bull by the horns and eliminate the name confusion.
Agree on Charlotte vs. UNCC. Until this Chancellor grows some (foot)balls and is willing to go head to head with the powers in Chapel Hill, we will be dealing with the name confusion. GO NINERS!
Where is the Observer story about this? Once again, they take any opportunity to bury positive news about the niners.
We must read more about Roy William's choice of breakfast cereals, right observer?
you are the CHARLOTTE observer!!!!!!!
I was hoping to wake up this morning and this story would still not be buried in this blog. I don't know why I was expecting a story on the main sports page and maybe even a picture this morning. Par for the course for the Observer I guess. The local media will continue to be one of our challenges.
The story is on the business front.
Sorry for my previous comment. I just realized that there is an article in the BUSINESS section. Since when does Stan Olson write articles in the business section??? I guess there is so much going on in the sports world these days that this couldn't fit in that section?
For people who keep complaining about Charlotte 49ers not getting enough coverage, there is not much more to report than what they've reported already. There are many more Carolina alums in Charlotte than UNCC alums.
Not so fast my friend, you are probably correct if you speak of "carolina" grads ( usc and unc-ch) but not just unc ch grads. There are more Charlotte grads in the region than any other school.
And the majority of Charlotte fans can read, thus differentiating them from unc ch fans.
"Hey, Chancellor Dubois. Guess what.....I am an FSL owner and 49er Club contributor, but I am sick and tired of the name confusion.
My FSLs and 49er Club $$$ supports Charlotte 49ers Football"
Get over it. The name of the school is UNCC. For marketing purposes, the athletic department decided to use the "Charlotte" moniker. That fine by me, but when someone asks me where I went to school, I don't say "Charlotte", I say "UNC Charlotte".
You don't hear UCLA calling themselves "Los Angeles".
If the school wants to try to change its name officially, that's fine, but the name on my diploma won't change. I am proud to be affiliated with the UNC system.
But I will send my money either way. I will buy my PSLs even though I live on the west coast and will likely see only one game a year.
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