In a minimum of five double-spaced pages, answer the following questions based on Gridiron University and submit to the Football Reinstatement Report portal. You are expected to bring in information from the readings, interview, and outside sources:
a. Complete the operating budget worksheet provided in Figure C1 for Year 2 of the program, which is the first competitive season. Provide your responses in the blank boxes in the worksheet. A comprehensive discussion of all operating expense items is beyond the scope of this case, and therefore, some provided for you. Please note that some answers are available directly from the case narrative, whereas other answers require calculations.
b. Pick a role from the case (i.e., University President, Director of Athletics, Faculty Senate President, Influential Community Member/Former Football Player), then discuss and respond to Questions 16 as a member of the Football Advisory Council. The questions follow the RDMMA framework to guide the conversation.
1. Is the reinstatement of football for GU financially viable? For this case, financial viability is defined as operating revenues exceeding operating expenses for the football program.
2. Key Stakeholders and Influences: Identify and discuss the key stakeholders who may be impacted by your decision. Identify and discuss key influences, such as legal requirements, campus and community climate, and your personal value system as a decision maker.
3. Review of Information: What additional information would need to be gathered and reviewed to make a fully informed decision? Consider addressing leadership, marketing, development, human resources, organizational behavior, law and liability, ethics, community impact and town/gown relationship management, and/or economic impact.
4. Hurdles: What hurdles/challenges exist in the decision process? What legal, financial, and facility limitations exist?
5. Options/Alternatives: What options/alternatives exist? Identify them and then indicate the pros and cons to the various alternatives.
6. Making the Decision: What decision would you make? Would it meet your objectives? Would it be considered fair?
7. Monitoring and Evaluating the Decision: How would you obtain feedback to determine whether your plan of action achieved its objective?
c. Research and provide a brief analysis of a school that recently added football at any college level (since 2017). Research and describe the reasons stated publicly for adding the sport, how it was received, and how it has turned out for them thus far (from what you can tell from the outside).
