Pulling Back the Curtain
This week, Casey and I met with Middle Tennessee athletic director Chris Massaro and sport information director Mark Owens on campus.
To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't expect the brutal honesty. I didn't expect we would receive the better part of five hours discussing the state of Blue Raider athletics. I was truly surprised.
Massaro candidly answered every question and described his vision for the athletic department. I came away impressed. In a nutshell, there is a vision. There is leadership. There is a desire for Middle Tennessee to take the next step.
Taking the next step will not be easy. The meeting served as a reminder that the Blue Raider athletic department operates as merely one entity in a rather complex higher education machine. The transition from the Tennessee Board of Regents to an independent board slowed progress, but will ultimately provide many long-term benefits, at least in the eyes of Massaro it will. The new Middle Tennessee Board of Trustees has shown a willingness to financially support the athletic department.
A brief overview of the documents we received revealed the athletic department has faced some unique challenges. Nevertheless, there is a plan to overcome the financial hurdles and build new facilities that will be among the best in the conference.
Almost six months ago, I wrote an article entitled "It's time for more." Indeed, it is. It's time to expect more from the athletic department. It's time to expect more from fans. It's time to expect more from us. Yes us, the writers at GoMiddle.com.
Recently, GoMiddle.com filed a Freedom of Information request for the following information:
1). Season ticket sales for Football, Men's Basketball and Women's Basketball over the past 10 years.
2). BRAA fundraising contribution amounts, and where they were distributed, across the athletic department for the past 10 years.
3). Budget allocations and specific distribution areas for the past 10 years.
4). Budget projections and expected distribution areas for the next five years, including facility upgrade plans.
In the coming weeks, you can expect GoMiddle to pull back the curtain on the Middle Tennessee athletic department. We did not set out to for a 'gotcha' moment, rather, we saw an opportunity for the athletic department to be more transparent with their fanbase, who in turn, has an opportunity to be more supportive.
We will be diving deep into the Blue Raider athletic machine during this time. The university was very forthcoming with the information we requested, and we think that Blue Raider fans everywhere will enjoy it.
I can't wait to get started.