Yurcak Field to be Renamed RWJBarnabas Health Stadium
- Thread starter Leonard23
- Start date
A few weeks ago, I foreshadowed Keli would sell naming rights to Yurcak.
Bainton and Marco Battaglia fields could be next.
Rutgers probably gets in the mid 6-figures per year for the naming rights to each of these facilities.
If Keli is doing a multi-year deal and getting an upfront lump sum payment, that would be a red flag suggesting Rutgers athletics is desperate for a one-time infusion of cash to fill a budget problem.
Bainton and Marco Battaglia fields could be next.
Rutgers probably gets in the mid 6-figures per year for the naming rights to each of these facilities.
If Keli is doing a multi-year deal and getting an upfront lump sum payment, that would be a red flag suggesting Rutgers athletics is desperate for a one-time infusion of cash to fill a budget problem.
Why would you jump to this conclusion? Desperate? What's wrong with raising cash?
That’s true. Staggering opportunity cost of keeping the Grifter Greg here so let’s scrounge a few nickels and pennies from the sofa cushions.
To what conclusion have i jumped? I'm all for raising cash, especially cash that recurs year after year.
Don’t rich alumni give so they can get their names on buildings? This would piss me off if I was the Yurcaks…
How about being a Lacrosse player donating to have it built for Lacrosse then have Rutgers kick the lacrosse team out and only soccer allowed to use it.
Don't mean to be rude but
The conclusion you typed yourself: "that would be a red flag suggesting Rutgers athletics is desperate for a one-time infusion of cash to fill a budget problem."
Now, please answer the question.
If RWJ Barnabas offered a hefty amount of $, are you telling me KZ should turn it down? That would generate bad press like you wouldn’t believe. This is a big time athletic administration now. Not some mom and pop clown show.
Would be interesting to ask the descendants of Louis Brown for their opinions on the matter.
Interesting history on the JMAC, from Wiki (which is often suspect with facts but has links):
"There were plans for a 13,000 seat arena in downtown New Brunswick, which turned out to be unfeasible. Instead, the university made plans for an arena on Livingston Campus, which would host 11,000 seats for basketball, ice hockey, and aquatics. One administrator opposed larger plans, hoping the university would not become "a basketball or a football factory""
"The Rutgers Athletic Center was ultimately designed by architect Robert Hillier. Originally, he proposed a larger structure with modern amenities, however, the budget was limited to $8 million. Working with the cheapest structural materials he could source, the arena would have four massive support columns, and provide for 8000 seats, yielding a trapezoidal design.
"The arena was known as the Rutgers Athletic Center until 1986, when it was renamed for Louis Brown, a Rutgers graduate and former member of the varsity golf team, who made a large bequest to the university in his will."
---And THIS ladies and gentlemen, is an example of why giving to Rutgers, especially legacy gifts, is an exercise in futility. Promises and major donations made by donors, promises broken and/or recognition of significant donors erased by Rutgers.
Despite the above statement, and AI search did not reveal any reaction by Louis Brown's descendants to the name change to Jersey Mike's.
Rutgers is gonna RutgersInteresting history on the JMAC, from Wiki (which is often suspect with facts but has links):
"There were plans for a 13,000 seat arena in downtown New Brunswick, which turned out to be unfeasible. Instead, the university made plans for an arena on Livingston Campus, which would host 11,000 seats for basketball, ice hockey, and aquatics. One administrator opposed larger plans, hoping the university would not become "a basketball or a football factory""
"The Rutgers Athletic Center was ultimately designed by architect Robert Hillier. Originally, he proposed a larger structure with modern amenities, however, the budget was limited to $8 million. Working with the cheapest structural materials he could source, the arena would have four massive support columns, and provide for 8000 seats, yielding a trapezoidal design.
"The arena was known as the Rutgers Athletic Center until 1986, when it was renamed for Louis Brown, a Rutgers graduate and former member of the varsity golf team, who made a large bequest to the university in his will."
---And THIS ladies and gentlemen, is an example of why giving to Rutgers, especially legacy gifts, is an exercise in futility. Promises and major donations made by donors, promises broken and/or recognition of significant donors erased by Rutgers.
Despite the above statement, and AI search did not reveal any reaction by Louis Brown's descendants to the name change to Jersey Mike's.
Don't mean to be rude but.
The conclusion you typed yourself: "that would be a red flag suggesting Rutgers athletics is desperate for a one-time infusion of cash to fill a budget problem."
Now, please answer the question.
RWJBarnabas Health has a $10 million naming rights agreement for the athletic performance center. The terms of this agreement, other than the $10 million value, have not been disclosed publicly. The $10 million probably was paid up front by RWJBarnabas Health to Rutgers to finance the construction of the building. If true, I understand that approach to get the building built.
The SHI payments are semiannually through 2031 and Jersey Mike's payments are annually through 2041, with those dates including extension options in the contracts.
The soccer stadium naming rights deal should take the form of the football and basketball deals. Not a one-time revenue gimmick, but a long term deal giving Rutgers athletics a new stream of recurring operating revenues to pay for recurring operating expenses.
Rutgers does not provide a lot of detail when it makes important decisions. The Rutgers board meeting agenda for next week's meeting totals two pages. Nebraska's agenda for its board meeting next week is 664 pages. Nebraska's transparency gives Nebraska fans and donors more confidence in how the athletic department is operating compared to Rutgers's approach that prioritizes secrecy. For example, Nebraska football held a spring game and head coach did a 15 minute interview. Rutgers: No spring game and 5 minute interview.
Good news is teams play at Rutgers on Saturday, November 14. Bowl eligibility could be on the line for both teams. I plan to be there.
It’s almost surprising the school is still named Rutgers..Maybe I should not have said that out loud
How about using corporate naming as a modifier to longer term alumni donor naming .
RWJBarnabas Health Stadium at Yurcak field?
RWJBarnabas Health Stadium at Yurcak field?
Corporation’s come and go. Alumni never change.
Hope this is the case as it’s a fairly common practice
All great information, but why did you characterize the renaming of Yurcak as "desperate?"
Filling structural operating losses with one time, non-recurring revenues is a desperate move used all the time by universities.
Rider is in the land sale business to avoid bankruptcy. Selling land to fund operating expenses.
To be clear, I don’t know the terms of the soccer field naming rights contract that the BoG will rubber stamp next week.
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If it’s a corporate modifier to the Yurcak name then it’s a no brainer and long overdue. It’s fairly common to have the stadium and field with separate names. Or at least it will be soon as ADs look to monetize everything.
Mr. Yurcak passed away some time ago. Interesting life and career:
Maybe don’t use the word “desperate”. How much upfront money could we get for a soccer field, and would that move the needle for the department’s finances?
Flip it around, Yurcak field at RWJBarnabas Stadium.
I thought lacrosse moving to SHI Stadium was a Big 10 issue for broadcast reasons.
Failing corporations also do similar yard sales to try to stay afloat. Sears and A&P are two that quickly come to mind, selling off their valuable assets to stay in business.
honest question because I don’t know. Did the lacrosse team get kicked out or did the Lacrosse team choose to leave because they wanted turf in the spring thus necessitating the move to the stadium?
Fans and Alum complain constatntly about the lack of funding and NIL.
Then when the school does anything they can to raise money, people complain.
Then when the school does anything they can to raise money, people complain.
Don't you know? Forget the whale contracts. If each and every season ticket holder donated just a little more....
Unless it’s in writing a donation shouldn’t be for forever naming rights. 15 years ago I made a large donation to have my schools entrance named after my parents. If they came to me today and said they could sell that same area for more I’d sign on. Just move their plaque 10 feet to the side.
@Anon1753410373 and please changed your name there's well over a billion of you.
I believe the story goes, Lacrosse wanted to play on field turf and wanted the field changed. Soccer wanted it to stay grass, soccer won the argument and took over the entire facility, Lacrosse lockers and all was moved to the stadium. The Yurcak family was not happy and stopped donating ever since. It's the Rutgers way, as they turned off a loaded family to appease soccer. YUCK
Anyway, this was all just click bait by Fonseca. As it'll be Yurcak field at (whatever they call it) Stadium
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typical RU. They could have built a soccer stadium - AND - maintained the good will and future donations from Yurcak Family. Instead, they now have neither. Soccer field plus legit stands wouldn’t have even cost much compared to other facilities.@Anon1753410373 and please changed your name there's well over a billion of you.
I believe the story goes, Lacrosse wanted to play on field turf and wanted the field changed. Soccer wanted it to stay grass, soccer won the argument and took over the entire facility, Lacrosse lockers and all was moved to the stadium. The Yurcak family was not happy and stopped donating ever since. It's the Rutgers way, as they turned off a loaded family to appease soccer. YUCK
Anyway, this was all just click bait by Fonseca. As it'll be Yurcak field at (whatever they call it) Stadium
They are already pissed off. Ronald Yurcak was a lacrosse player. Had they known the department was going to make it a soccer facility they never would have donated the money. A real RU special.
If I ever donate a building or naming rights, I'm going to spend more on lawyers than the gift itself.
The Yurcak family is still involved with the lacrosse program. THey aren't happy about what went down which is putting it mildly.
Lacrosse will play on grass. It's just hard to maintain in the winter and the soccer people didn't want the field getting all torn up.@Anon1753410373 and please changed your name there's well over a billion of you.
I believe the story goes, Lacrosse wanted to play on field turf and wanted the field changed. Soccer wanted it to stay grass, soccer won the argument and took over the entire facility, Lacrosse lockers and all was moved to the stadium. The Yurcak family was not happy and stopped donating ever since. It's the Rutgers way, as they turned off a loaded family to appease soccer. YUCK
Anyway, this was all just click bait by Fonseca. As it'll be Yurcak field at (whatever they call it) Stadium
Even so, some games will be played on Yurcak moving forward. Keli knows what happened.
February games on grass would be a disaster that could affect games later in the season. Maybe those would be in SHI with a later shift to Yurcak.
2/3 games at Yurcak is what is being looked at.
Would be great if they at least played all of the late March early April games there.
There is something about watching the game on natural grass, especially when you see some of these southern stadiums in the ACC.
I still think they should build something similar to arrowhead where they have a heated natural grass field.
There is something about watching the game on natural grass, especially when you see some of these southern stadiums in the ACC.
I still think they should build something similar to arrowhead where they have a heated natural grass field.
Not having a real home is a big disadvantage. When Ash was here the team practiced in the stadium. Sightlines, bounces, it’s all a huge advantage. Our record during that time at home was incredible. Schiano won’t let anyone use “his field” so the team sees it slightly more than our opponents. Every away game we play those teams practice every day on that field. It’s a big advantage for them and a big disadvantage for us.