FGCU athletics "40 percent" of way to $12 million goal
Since formally unveiling a $100 million, university wide fundraising campaign in the fall, FGCU says it has commitments for about 40 percent of the $12 million that is needed for athletics, and that a start on major construction enhancements to Alico Arena still could begin as soon as the end of this spring.
"We've got some commitments from folks that are really going to jump-start this thing," said Graham Diemer, director of athletics advancement. "A lot of the folks that we've had conversations with want to support the program, and they know this is what the programs need."
FGCU has already installed a modernized scorer's table with display capacities and will begin work to install a new overhead scoreboard, with video replay, as soon as the basketball season ends in March or April.
The new scoreboard accounts for about $1 million of the $7 million in upgrades that are targeted specifically for 13-year-old Alico Arena, opened in 2002 to accommodate a then-Division-II program.
The main scoreboard installation, tentatively scheduled to be completed in July, comes with two secondary scoreboards for opposite ends of the main arena; two scoreboards for the auxiliary gym; nine time clocks for home, visitors' and officials locker rooms; and a new sound system.
"We have a larger clientele to take care of," FGCU athletic director Ken Kavanagh has said while referencing items now commonplace in college arenas. "Part of taking care of them is what they would consider in some cases general information at high school games."
Regarding heavier lifting in Alico Arena, work to build a dedicated athletics weight room, larger sports medicine area, new office suites to replace cramped spaces and ultimately an academic resource center could also begin early this summer with continued fundraising gains, Diemer said.
"It takes time," he said. "There's a lot of people that want to be more affiliated with the university. The soft support is becoming more fortified based on the continued (competitive) success and how important athletics is to the university and the community."
FGCU's fifth annual Night at the Nest, the athletic department's centerpiece fundraiser, far exceeded goals by raising $460,000 last month, a 56-percent increase from 2013's previous record of $295,000.
But FGCU still is seeking a lead gift of $5 million and other naming rights deals for $1.5 million, Diemer said.
"There's a lot of people that want to know who else is involved and how close we are with the goal," said Diemer, noting FGCU is close to securing multiple major gifts in the coming weeks. "It's tough to be the first one to jump in. Again, it takes time."
FGCU athletics was addressed at Tuesday's board of directors meeting exploring FGCU's long-term plans.
"If we want to be a D-I standout, we need to look like one," said Dick Ackert, chair of FGCU's Financing Corporation board of directors.
Along with $7 million for Alico Arena, FGCU needs another $5 million to increase scholarship funding, recruiting budgets and more. FGCU was able to augment scholarships this year to reach NCAA maximums for seven of its 15 sports, up from four teams a season ago.
In 2011-2012, though, FGCU's first year as a full-fledged Division-I program after completing a four-year reclassification from D-II, the men's basketball program ranked 270th of 344 programs in the country with a budget of $1.1 million, according to the website Basketball State.
The following year, when FGCU became the first No. 15 seed in NCAA tournament history to reach the Sweet 16, FGCU ranked 208th with a budget of $1.6 million. FGCU's overall athletics budget of about $10.8 million ranked 286th of 349 ranked programs in the country, according to Basketball State.
And according to USA Today with data submitted to the NCAA, FGCU ranked only 173rd of 230 D-I schools for overall athletics spending in 2012-2013.
"We're all pushing for it," Kavanagh said of increased resources to fully fund all 15 FGCU sports and augment other budgets. "With the addition of Night at the Nest and other stuff maybe we can there."
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Alico Arena targeted upgrades:
• Dedicated athletics weight room
• Enhanced sports medicine areas
• Enhanced coaches' offices and suites
• Modern video scoreboard and scorer's table
• Video review room
• New academic advising and support area
