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University of Massachusets Athletics
One-on-One with Bob Marcum
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Oct. 23, 2000
By Nick Joos
The Maroon & White
In the seven and a half years Bob Marcum has been at the helm of the University of Massachusetts athletic department, he has been the guiding light behind the transformation of UMass into one of the most high-profile, all-around athletic programs on the national scene. The 1999 NACDA Northeast Division I-AA Athletic Director of the Year, Marcum oversees a 29-sport program which has produced student-athlete graduation rates that are higher than the University's general student population, 58 NCAA Tournament teams and 50 Atlantic 10 Conference championship teams during his tenure in Amherst. In addition, his program has captured four Atlantic 10 Conference Commissioner's Cups for all-sports excellence and finished among the nation's top 20 percent in the annual Sears Directors Cup all-sports standings five times in the last six years. Recently, he sat down with UMass Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Nick Joos to discuss a wide range of topics, from Division I-A football at UMass to conference realignment and the goals for the UMass athletic program.
M&W: How important is it for UMass to make the move to Division I-A football? Marcum: The move to I-A football would be important for our entire sports program, and it would enhance the University's academic vision. At some point, UMass would like to be considered as a member of one of the equity (Big East, Atlantic Coast, Big XII, etc.) conferences, which consists of six or seven major leagues. Those conferences offer tremendous television opportunities not only for football, but for their entire sports programs. I-A football is a must for membership in equity conferences.
M&W: What about the possibility of removing the I-A and I-AA labels in football, and making everyone Division I like in basketball. Would that help UMass? Marcum: UMass supports that move, and the idea is gaining momentum week by week in the I-A ranks. From our prospective, it would really help in our scheduling because you wouldn't be penalizing a school for playing a UMass or a Delaware. If the I-AA label were removed and Syracuse wanted to play us, they could, without penalty, and I believe that would be good for college football. You would, though, have to address the scholarship situation. I believe that if you set a cap of 85 scholarships to participate in Division I footbalI, it would work. A move like this would allow institutions to seek their own level of commitment, and realize some financial gain from playing what is now a I-A opponent.
M&W: Would this proposal look similar to what is in place in college basketball today? Marcum: Instiutions would be able to seek out the level of commitment they want, and that would be great for all of us. We visit with our students, and ask them why they don't attend our games. The feedback we receive indicates that because our opponents aren't on television, they don't attend our games. In basketball, though, that's not true, because a lot of our opponents are on TV and enjoy tremendous visibility.
M&W: So, television has really changed the face of college athletics? Marcum: Without a doubt. If I had to select three things over the last 25 years that have really changed college sports it would be ESPN, USA Today and NIKE. ESPN does an unbelievable job. A lot of schools receive tremendous exposure through ESPN, and those four letters, in my opinion, are magic. I believe ESPN is responsible for the popularity of the NCAA men's basketball tournament and the Road to the Final Four. Most people believed a national newspaper wouldn't work, but USA Today has proven that it will work. It's important when schools have the opportunity to appear on the sports page of a national publication. They like that high visibility. NIKE set the standard in a lot of ways in terms of exposure for their product and working with the coaches and student-athletes. I don't believe most people ever thought a shoe company would have that much impact on college sports, but it has.
M&W: How would a move to I-A football enhance the University? Marcum: There is no question in my mind that a move to I-A football would enhance the entire University community. The UMass name is recognized nationwide. As an example, two schools recently contacted me about scheduling football games, but when I reminded them that we were I-AA, they said, "Oh, I thought you were already a I-A program." UMass has received a lot of national exposure, and I believe if we make the move to I-A, that exposure will increase even more.
M&W: How long do you believe it will take for this process to happen? Marcum: It's hard to say, because the last part would be the architects design of the facilities building and the expansion of the stadium. When the report is completed, it will be forwarded to the President, Chancellor and Trustees, and then we'll have to make a decision. We could make the decision to go I-A by the spring of 2001, and then start implementing the program from that point on. But, we are a long way from that right now. There are a lot of considerations that go into a decision like this. We've been one of the leaders in Title IX, and I know that commitment is still there. If you increase the scholarships for the men by going I-A in football, then we also must increase our scholarships on the women's side in order to retain proportionality, which we have achieved in both scholarships and competition. There's a lot of hard work ahead, but it will be fun. Our coaches are well-informed on the benefits of I-A status. The recent association with Virginia Tech in the Atlantic 10 was good for us. They are a major athletic power, and when UMass played in Blacksburg, our coaches and student-athletes were exposed to a lot of the benefits that go along with high-profile programs.
M&W: At most big time I-A programs, football is a rallying point on campus during the fall. Do people here understand that? Marcum: I believe they do, but sometimes its hard to understand something that you've never experienced before. Those of us who have been fortunate to be at big, I-A programs can see the benefit. There are some great examples around. The remarkable turnaround at Kansas State, with President Jon Wefald and coach Bill Snyder, is one that comes to mind. I've heard President Wefald talk about the positive impact their football success has had on their University. It has provided a wonderful opportunity for their University to achieve many things, both academically and athletically. Virginia Tech is another good example, and people also point to Marshall and its move from I-AA to I-A and the impact it has had on their program. I believe high profile athletic programs open the door to demonstrate that there is more to the campus than just athletics.
M&W: What about conference realignment and UMass? Marcum: If conference realignment takes place, we want to be in position to be invited to join a I-A conference. That's the dream of a lot of people. Right now, there is a lot of talk that I-A conferences are going to realign, and I believe they will. A number of people feel the Big East is most vulnerable, because if the Atlantic Coast Conference decides to expand, it might look to the Big East for its new members. That would create a domino affect with regard to realignment, and if that happens, we want to be in position to make a decision that is in the best interest of UMass.