Football and the Community
by Jeremy Schwartz
Texas Tech’s football program could be in the process of moving its program to the next level.
According to several preseason polls, the Red Raiders will begin the 2008 season ranked in the top 15, a goal Head Coach Mike Leach has been inching toward since he began coaching at Tech in 2000.
The question will be whether this pre-season attention, coupled with having a Heisman Trophy contender in Michael Crabtree, will have any effects outside of the football team.
It is logical that a team ranked in the top 15 would benefit through coach and player recruiting, game attendance, overall ticket sale revenue, and national broadcasting priority.
The real question is how this highly subjective ranking might make a difference in the Lubbock and Tech community.
LUBBOCK COMMUNITY
It is no secret that Lubbock business owners, near Tech campus, get an economic boost when the “red and black” are set to take the field on Saturdays.
But, what hapens to the businesses on the other side of town on game weekends.
Ryan Harris, a manager at the Homewood Suites in Southwest Lubbock, said that weekends of Tech football games sell out weeks in advance, especially when the team is ranked.
“When the team is doing good and getting the publicity, we see several sportscasters and news media staying with us,” Harris said. “There are several times where events at the university have strong effects on our business.”
Harris also said that he constantly has to turn customers away because of lack of available rooms.
“There are hundreds of out-of-towners surfing the phone book, trying to find a place to stay for the weekend,” Harris said. “I’m sure it is a win-win situation for various businesses all over the city.”
For most student tailgaters and people watching the game from home, their get-togethers would not be complete without a visit to the strip.
James Delgado, an employee of the Cellar Beer Barn, said that they typically see a large college and alumni crowd making purchases leading up to the weekend.
“Fortunately for us, there are a bunch of fans that like to indulge themselves on our products before attending the game or while watching the game,” Delgado said.
“Overall, I wouldn’t say it is strange to see an increase in sales during the fall season.”
According to one restaurant owner, the customers flow during the Tech football season are less than routine.
Steve Purdy, the chef partner at Rockfish Seafood Grill in south Lubbock, said it is interesting how business on weekends of Tech home games is also affected by the time of the game.
“When the Tech games are played in the evenings, we find that much of our community spends the afternoon tailgating in or around raider alley,” Purdy said. “At that time, businesses on the other side of the city, like our restaurant on Slide Road, often see sales slow significantly.
“However, if the game is at 2 p.m., the opposite occurs, Purdy said. “Our dinner sales are strong.”
Moreover, Phil Bradley, the owner of 50th Street Caboose, said that when Tech has big home games against conference rivals, their sales are better on the days before and after the game.
“Out-of-town fans eat with us on Friday and before they leave town on Sunday,” Bradley said. “As for Saturdays, they’re always fantastic, and Tech football just makes it more exciting.”
TECH COMMUNITY
College sports are a very important part of American culture, especially college football.
Achieving a high national ranking for a college’s football program can drive a university’s overall stock through the roof.
According to Texas Tech administration, the success of a college football team can have differing impacts on several important institutional factors.
Ben Lock, the executive assistant to the chancellor of Tech, said that for most major university athletic programs, football is by far the leader in fan interest, revenues generated and media attention.
“Football, more than any other sport, brings large numbers of alumni and other interested parties back to campus,” Lock said, “allowing the university to stay in contact or to re-connect with a larger number of people who may be willing to contribute donations to support both athletic and academic activities “
Lock, who is also the secretary for the Tech Board of Regents, added that winning football programs can also attract student applicants to the university.
“Universities who have won national championships in football have seen dramatic increases in student applications for the following school year,” Lock said. “But these schools usually find that the increased interest is only a one-time spike, and applications quickly return to their normal levels.
“Although, a dominant football program can produce a big social and entertainment bonus for students, it can also provide students with a ‘my college team is a winner, so by affiliation, I’m a winner too’ good feeling,” Lock said, “which does help generate interest from prospective students.”
Lock concluded saying that beyond the simple revenue aspect, national attention gives a university the opportunity to generate name identification and foster a positive perception about the university.
“The ‘buzz’ that can be generated from a successful football program often is the window through which a great many people view the university. For good or bad, that simply is the way it works,” Lock said. “If you give them a reason to take a second look at you, you have a chance to give them a favorable impression of the other qualities of the university.”