UND's Lennon whining

[Bison_Kent]

Here is the GF Herald article on how the Alerus Center has nothing about the Sioux. Whine!!! Whine!!! Whine!!!

Posted on Thu, Apr. 24, 2003

ALERUS CENTER: UND football: Alerus can help recruit
Coach hopes for more of a football presence in facility
By Tu-Uyen Tran
Herald Staff Writer

Grand Forks' Alerus Center may be the home of UND football, but you'd hardly know it walking into the place. There aren't many banners or logos or any sign of the Fighting Sioux.

That's coach Dale Lennon's contention as he asked the Alerus Center commission Wednesday to put in some sort of display to highlight the ties between the team and the center.

The lack of such a display, Lennon said, hurts recruiting efforts, particularly when competing with rival North Dakota State University in Fargo.

The commission agreed, noting it had anticipated the request in its strategic planning.

The question was how to pay for it all the Alerus Center doesn't have a lot of money sitting around. The answer will come from a joint UND-Alerus Center commission that will look into costs and potential funding sources. It will report at the next commission meeting in May.

Marketing display

Lennon's vision is to at least match the Fargodome, which has an NDSU Bison display.

He said he'd like something similar in the Alerus Center lobby with pictures of the 2001 Division II National Championship team, action shots and a history display. He also mentioned a mural.

The lobby is the first place that would-be recruits see, and Lennon wants it to make a big impression. If money is especially tight, he said, the lobby should be the first priority.

The stadium itself could have banners and flags that recall UND football's past championships titles and bowl appearances, Lennon said. Even the hallway from the locker room onto the field should have some memorabilia, he said. "We want to have UND tradition slap you in the face," he said.

Not having any link between UND football and the Alerus Center gives the impression that the team doesn't have a home field, according to Lennon. "That's used against us in recruiting," he said. NDSU recruiters point out the Alerus Center isn't a UND facility, but a city facility, he said.

The Fargodome, the Bison's home field, belongs to the city of Fargo.

Not much money

How to pay for it? There's the rub.

According to Lennon, he doesn't have a lot of options. The university provides his team's budget and Ralph Engelstad Arena provides the marketing budget, but the uses of those dollars are restrictive. UND Alumni Association's Fighting Sioux Club provides some funding, but money is tight there as well with tuition increases putting pressure on athletic scholarships.

Rob Bollinger, Fighting Sioux Club executive director, said recruiting is part of the team's regular budget, but it really couldn't be used for an Alerus Center football display. Such a display would help recruitment in the end, he said, but it really should fall into the facility improvement category.

That may imply the Alerus Center could chip in some, but commissioner Gerald Hamerlik said there isn't much other than some leftovers from training room construction.

Given these limitations, the bulk of the funding likely would come from fund raising, perhaps from fans or from local businesses.

Bollinger said the Fighting Sioux Club is planning a major campaign with football alumni. Some of the funding could come from there, he said, but there are other competing needs.

Until funding is decided, he suggested a relatively cheaper alternative: a UND football presence on the Alerus Center Web site.

[Charger]

Until funding is decided, he suggested a relatively cheaper alternative: a UND football presence on the Alerus Center Web site. Yeah because I'm sure that the web site would really impress the recruits and help with the home field advantage.

[Bisonguy]

I heard that Lennon has told UND that if the practice and training facilities do not recieve a major upgrade, he's going to leave. He's also pushing for a DIAA move, that may cause him to leave. UND also has to start ponying up if they want any half-arse good opponents in the Hilarious. That's a lot of dollars for UND to come up with to retain Lennon. My inside source says that Lennon will stay at UND three more years max, and then he will be at a DI position.

[JBB]

I dont have any sources but I really dont think the Sac State job was Lennons to have. If he is as unhappy as it seems its doubtfull he would have stayed at UNDerwear State with a great DIAA opportunity handed to him.

Look at the non conference football schedule. Where's the beef? They dont have the money for a decent schedule, it's all being spent on hockey opponents.

Look at the UNDerwear State stand on D2 scholarship reduction. They would spend the money saved by that cut on hockey scholarships. They may even be supporting the cut.

There isnt even any money to put up a banner in the Hilarious center commemorating the NC. Lennon knew all of this when he applied for the Sac State job. A move to DI in the next 3 years is doubtfull. UNDerwear State is a DI hockey school, and like Sid Hartman says, they subsidise their DI hockey by limited expenditures in all their D2 sports.

[BisonInTexas]

Here is the GF Herald article on how the Alerus Center has nothing about the Sioux. Whine!!! Whine!!! Whine!!!

Posted on Thu, Apr. 24, 2003


Marketing display

Lennon's vision is to at least match the Fargodome, which has an NDSU Bison display.

He said he'd like something similar in the Alerus Center lobby with pictures of the 2001 Division II National Championship team, action shots and a history display. He also mentioned a mural.

The lobby is the first place that would-be recruits see, and Lennon wants it to make a big impression. If money is especially tight, he said, the lobby should be the first priority.

The stadium itself could have banners and flags that recall UND football's past championships titles and bowl appearances, Lennon said. Even the hallway from the locker room onto the field should have some memorabilia, he said. "We want to have UND tradition slap you in the face," he said.



If they want to reflect the rich UND football tradition, it sounds like they have it covered in the current state of the Alerus. ;D

[JBB]

The Hilarious center is broke and that's not surprising. It's a redundant venue with the Fabulous Fargo Dome and the Ralph all competiting for the same market. The Fabulous Fargo Dome is in the best position because of the larger FM Market. The Hilarious has been attracting events by renting the place out at break even or worse. Eventually that will take its toll because I dont think they can hold the market share they are trying to buy. Last weeks Billy Joel concert tells the tale.

The Fabulous Fargo Dome has been constently improving since the day it was built. The front lobby, the construction of entry foyers, the landscaping, the big screens, turf. They can do that because it makes money. They can even put up BISON memorabelia. Clearly it's the home of BISON Football.

The hilarious was built on the cheep with bad sight lines. Its too small. It's nobodys home field. It's just a shed. The difference between the hilarious and the Ralph is a dramatic statement on the status of hockey vs. football at UNDerwear State.