Hofstra should bring back the football team
Photo by Riley McCullough on Unsplash
Every weekend, the lively, picturesque campus of Hofstra University turns into a desolate wasteland devoid of all vitality and enthusiasm as many students head home.
Simultaneously, hundreds of other schools nationwide are filled to the brim with eager students and fans who arrive in droves to take in America’s most popular college sport. While Hofstra has a profound history of athletic success, it is indisputable that the absence of a football team leaves a gaping hole in the student body.
The fact of the matter is that college football is not only a national staple but also a fixture that can breathe life into a university and its student population. Hofstra’s decision to shelve its football program in 2009 unfairly ripped that life and energy away from the students. The return of Hofstra Pride football would inspire an abundance of school spirit, which seems to be desperately needed based on the overall campus atmosphere over weekends. Upon seeing this dreadful weekend environment, one must ask: was it really the best decision to eliminate a cornerstone of the school’s culture solely for the sake of cutting costs?
A football program not only inspires school spirit but also turns small universities into national brands. A revival of Hofstra’s football program would put the school in the national spotlight, resulting in more enrollment applications as well as a drastic increase in revenue. Hofstra has garnered a great deal of notoriety from hosting presidential debates, and that popularity would only be amplified with the addition of a football program.
Take notable football powerhouse the University of Alabama, for example. Since making a considerable investment in the football program in 2007, the school’s total enrollment has increased by over 11,000 students.
Additionally, Alabama’s athletic department revenue has grown from $399,000 to over $16 million annually since their expenditure into football. While these figures would obviously be on a much smaller scale at Hofstra, one cannot deny the exponential growth a university experiences when it decides to invest in its football program.
With an impressive all-time record of 403-268, Hofstra already has a pedigree of success on the gridiron. A historically successful college football program often promotes the involvement of alumni in school activities.
Every Division I football team develops NFL athletes who are later counted upon to provide financial support for the school, and Hofstra is no different. Hofstra has its own list of alumni who have been successful in the NFL, which would be a substantial boost in kickstarting a young football team. One of those notable alumni is former New York Jets wide receiver Wayne Chrebet, who has been especially outspoken about the potential return of Hofstra football.
“Hofstra should have a football team,” Chrebet said to the New York Times in 2009 when the program was closed. “We’re not a huge school, but I’m sure kids who grew up in Long Island dream of playing at Hofstra. We’re a good program.”
Ultimately, now is a better time than ever to bring back an integral piece of our university culture, with new president Susan Poser in the early stages of her tenure. Interest in football is high at Hofstra, with nearly 2,000 students signing a recent online petition to revive the storied program. No matter your interest level in sports, one cannot deny the fact that the heart and soul of a school is rooted in the success of its athletic programs, and the return of the nation’s most popular sport would only empower our campus community to come together and flourish.
