Questions about Niners football recommendation?

Post them here. We'll answer as many as we can.

What are the current plans for a stadium? An expansion of the track and field or a brand new football stadium?

The recommendation by Chancellor Philip Dubois includes building a $45.3 million, on-campus stadium with 12,000 seats, expandable to 20,000. Under his plan, alumni and friends of the university would need to buy 5,000 permanent seat licences at $1,000 each, and there would need to be an additional $10-15 million in corporate and sponsor donations. That leaves about $25 million unaccounted for, and it's unclear how that gap would be bridged.

Is 2013 the earliest we could have a team? Or is 2012 a possibility?

Some of the savings in Dubois' recommendation are predicated upon the 2013 start date, which is what he suggests. With a November vote and a six-month campaign to sell the Forty-Niner Seat Licences, 2012 would be a difficult, if not impossible, goal to meet. It's more likely that the start date would be pushed back than pushed forward.

Why a 12,000 seat stadium expandable to 20,000 if the plan is to have more than 35,000 students in the near future? Plus the large number of alumni living in the greater charlotte area. Seems a little small to me.

That size is typical of FCS, formerly Division I-AA, stadiums. Appalachian State, the three-time defending national champion in the division, plays in Kidd Brewer Stadium, which seats about 20,000 seats, with more seating on a hill. Their attendance last season averaged just over 24,000. The stadium could be built out to 15,000 to begin with for about $6-7 million more, but UNC Charlotte isn't counting on getting any more money than the $45.3 million.

With the Chancellor's recommendation of $200 rather than $300 student fee increase over 5 years is there any UNC system approval required for us to move forward?

In terms of an exception to the fee increase limit, no. The Board of Governors would have final say, but would likely defer to what the chancellor and Board of Trustees recommend.

What conferences might be a good fit considering we would be 1-AA for a while? Southern?

It's unclear, but Dubois' recommendation suggested a conference that would create regionnal rivalries. Southern Conference officials have said in the past they would not be interested in a short-term relationship with any school.

On the PSLs, define non-transferable. Does he mean that once you bought them they're your's til your dead? You can't sell them later like you can with Panther PSL's?

It's unclear, but the recommendation said non-transferable. That suggests they could not be resold. But this is a point of contenting and may be changed by the time the trustees approve the Dubois plan and the PSLs are offered for sale, assuming all that happens.

Am I guaranteed a specific seat, or will my priority points still count?

Unlike the Panthers PSLs, these don't guarantee you a specific seat in the stadium. They get you into the stadium. From there, where you sit will be determined by the points system (based on how much you give to the university, etc.), just like they are in Halton Arena.

Will their be a payment plan?

The recommendation included a comment about the need for one. No details are set. The Panthers had plans through the banks in Charlotte when PSLs for Bank of America Stadium were sold to the public. But there will almost certainly be a payment plan. Athletics director Judy Rose said it may be something like paying a quarter of the money up front, the rest over time. For instance, if you bought two PSLs at $1,000 each, you'd pay $500 (one-quarter of $2,000) up front, to show you were serious.

So do we play the first couple of years in up-fitted Transamerica field with a separate 12,000 stadium being built elsewhere on campus? I couldn't tell from his statement but looks that way in the facility plan. If so, does the PSL apply to Transamerica field?

It's unlikely play would begin before the on-campus facility is built. The cost of upfitting would significantly to the cost of starting the program. It's not out of the question, however, that either Memorial Stadium or Transamerica Field could be upfitted if the money for a new stadium can't be raised and the program goes forward anyway.

How can I donate?

Call the 49er Club at 704-687-4950. PSLs, however, will not be available until the board approves the recommendation (or modifies it) in November. They don't want to assume the trustees will say "yes."

What about the PSLs? Is there a way to get my name on the list?

Call the Athletic Foundation at 704-687-4950 and speak with anyone, or you can email Mike Hummer at mjhummer@uncc.edu.

They are not yet taking money, pending the BOT's approval of the recommendation, but expect that they will be $1,000 per seat. When you call or email, let them know:
1) Your pledge / commitment for purchasing FSL's - how many seats would you like?
2) What payment plan you would prefer (1 year, 2 years, etc.)
3) Include your name, email, phone number.

Do you feel that this donation goal was Chancellor DuBois' effort to avoid being the bad guy and saying no to the program? This seems like a big goal in these economic times.

His recommendation, a yes-if recommendation, clearly puts the burden on those who say they want football to pay for it.

What happens to the PSL money if the $5 million goal isn't reached and football is ditched? Refunds or put it towards existing sports?

Undetermined, and won't be until the PSL contracts are finalized after the November vote. But it' s probably unlikely the school would try to keep money earmarked for a football stadium if that stadium is never built.

Any idea if 5,000 is a set number or just a minimum. Would they sell the full 12,000 in NSLs if the demand was there?

The 5,000 is a minimum. They'll sell all they can, though, and the stadium could expand to accommodate more seat licenses.

Did I read right that there won't be a Marching Band right away? Won't that take away a lot of the luster of College Football? Or does he mean that we won't form one until closer to 2013?

Dubois' recommendation included delaying a marching band for three or four years beyond the launch of the football program, unless funds become available.