The UT Board of Regents just approved the merger making UTSA the #3 research institution in the state of Texas and increasing their annual endowment exponentially. I wonder what the end result will be for their athletic program? And how much UTEP will feel it in all sports.
OT: UTSA and UT Health SA merging
- Thread starter SAMINERGIRL
- Start date
UTSA’s successes and failures are independent of UTEP’s successes and failures. Stop blaming others for UTEP’s continuous poor performances!
This is interesting. Athletically, I don't think it changes much for us. UTSA is already operating a level (or more) above UTEP. If anything, I'd expect this pushes them into Houston/SMU territory.
Had this been 5 or 10 years ago, I could see some kind of related impact separating them from us, but UTSA did well enough on their own leaving UTEP and others in their dust.
It is very interesting. I have a good friend that works in fundraising for them and they are having some serious difficulties in that department. I thought nobody was as inept as UTEP but UTSA is giving them a run for their money. The donors hate the AD and everybody universally agrees that she really just walked into a win win situation. She has the personality of a brick wall. I’ve been to many a tailgate, where one of our friends is a major donor, and she always runs right over to him, while completely ignoring all of the other smaller donors around. It’s gotten so bad, that he will not even donate to UTSA anymore and did I say…he was a major donor. They are also having serious struggles in getting the city hyped and ticket sales are very sluggish. It’s really kind of sad. If UTEP could compete like UTSA on the field, the Sun Bowl would be sold out every game. They’re lucky if they can get 40,000 in the dome for a championship game.
UTSA has always had a horrible basketball program and it didn’t begin until 1981. The football team didn’t play until 2011. They don’t have decades and decades of fans like UTEP. They’re also in a major city with a pro sports franchise. They’re at a disadvantage compared to UTEP.
So if they don’t get 40,000 for a championship game, that should be expected. Pro sports city with a college team playing mid majors, isn’t going to turn on the average sports fan there.
IF anything this just creates more FUTURE wealthy alumni that MAY donate further down the line. Nothing that impacts us on the field now.
UTSA just flat out beat us into building a solid athletic program with better access to larger markets, hence better athletes. Bigger alumni base, which translates to more money even if its a dollar at a time. Kids who graduate from a Bexar County can go to any Alamo community college, for FREE, for up to thee years or associates completion. UTSA and A&M-San Antonio have matched and those same kids can go on to complete their bachelors for FREE.
Higher enrollment, means more student fees and more money from the state, and every penny counts.
It is interesting to hear the opinion's of donors of the UTSA AD. I was always under the impression that UTSA alumni liked her.
There are way too many things to do here in San Antonio. A UTSA football game doesn't rank very high. The Texas and A&M traditions run deep here. I know several UTSA grads that prefer to drive to Austin or College Station to catch a football game, then to go downtown.
UTSA just flat out beat us into building a solid athletic program with better access to larger markets, hence better athletes. Bigger alumni base, which translates to more money even if its a dollar at a time. Kids who graduate from a Bexar County can go to any Alamo community college, for FREE, for up to thee years or associates completion. UTSA and A&M-San Antonio have matched and those same kids can go on to complete their bachelors for FREE.
Higher enrollment, means more student fees and more money from the state, and every penny counts.
It is interesting to hear the opinion's of donors of the UTSA AD. I was always under the impression that UTSA alumni liked her.
There are way too many things to do here in San Antonio. A UTSA football game doesn't rank very high. The Texas and A&M traditions run deep here. I know several UTSA grads that prefer to drive to Austin or College Station to catch a football game, then to go downtown.
So? They have the Spurs. They start play in October. They have been around since the 70s. The city is probably filled with Cowboys fans too. A college team doesn’t really compete with a NFL team. Texas and Texas A&M have huge fanbases in San Antonio. You think they’re going to bother with UTSA vs ECU???
I don’t think the merger will do much to help UTSA in the athletics department. Like some have stated, there are many hardcore UT and ATM fans all over San Antonio. Let’s remember, UTSA is a commuter school similar to UTEP. Many of the local kids prefer to attend schools with more prestigious academic and athletic programs like UT, ATM, and Baylor. I don’t think UT will ever allow any of the smaller UT schools to join any of the power conferences.
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