May 5, 2003
Dear Friends,
By now you are aware of the current
review of Tulane's intercollegiate
athletics program by an ad hoc committee of
the Board of Trustees. The committee's
charge is to determine what type of
intercollegiate athletics program is in
the best long-term interests of Tulane
University, considering all possible
alternatives.
In the last 10 days, we
have received an outpouring of support,
concern and commitment delivered via
hundreds of e-mails and phone calls from
alumni, fans, students, faculty and staff.
We appreciate each and every one of the
messages. Now is the time for action.
We need your help to build a permanent
foundation for Green Wave Athletics. For
years, the university has provided a
subsidy to the athletics budget, but more
revenues are needed. The fact is Tulane
Athletics simply cannot continue to
compete at the highest levels without an
increased level of support from our fans,
alumni and the local, state and regional
community.
Every indicator tells us that Tulane
runs a model athletics program that is
headed in the right direction: Our
student-athletes graduate. Our teams are
successful - both in Conference USA and on
a national level. Our coaches are
dedicated professionals. We are providing
equitable opportunities for young men and
women within NCAA rules. Our events bring
alumni, families and fans from around the
city, region and country, together. Our
program provides a source of pride
nationwide for Tulane, our city and our
state.
We have a program filled with role
models and future leaders. They are worthy
of your attention, passion and support. We
are asking you to demonstrate your
long-term commitment to the Tulane
Athletics program now.
We must grow our base of support to
stay in this game. Toward that end, we
have set long-term goals for ticket sales
and donations:
First, sales of season
tickets in all sports need to
show a significant increase over the next
several years. Specifically, we have
set the following long-term ticket goals:
1. Increase football season
tickets to 15,000
2. Increase men's basketball season
tickets to 2,000
3. Increase baseball season
tickets to 2,500
4. Increase season ticket book sales in
women's sports to 2,000
Second, we need to
significantly grow the
Tulane Athletics Fund, as well
as our athletics endowment, within the
next five years.
By 2007-08, our goal is to collect $3.5
million in T.A.F. donations annually,
while increasing our endowment earnings to
$1.25 million over that same time period.
The
Tulane Athletics Fund is the
fundraising arm of the athletics
department. The money it raises on an
annual basis goes to support our
student-athletes and sports programs.
Third, join "The Green Team," a
new program for 2003-04 that offers
businesses the opportunity to support
Tulane Athletics by purchasing groups of
tickets across all sports,
along with a package of
tickets which are donated to
charity in the name of your business. Our
goal is to sell 1,000 Green Team packages.
Please call 1-866-GIVE2TU (448-3288)
or 504-861-WAVE to purchase or renew
tickets, or to make a donation
to the
Tulane Athletics Fund, and
pledge your five-year commitment to the
program. Visit www.TulaneGreenWave.com for
information on all three efforts, or to
donate and make your pledge on-line. In
return for your promise of tangible
support from now through the 2007-2008
seasons, we will guarantee your football
season
tickets at the same price for
the next five years.
Print and Mail Pledge Card in PDF
Format
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Over the last three
years, significant progress has been made
at Tulane in laying a solid base for a
successful, well-rounded intercollegiate
athletics program built around a
tremendous group of student-athletes and
coaches who succeed on the playing fields
and in the classroom. Now, we need your
help to build on that foundation and to
add layers of stability through your
fiscal support.
If you are currently contributing to
Tulane Athletics, we thank you and ask you
to consider buying more
tickets and increasing your
donation. If you value our Division I-A
intercollegiate athletics program and what
it adds to Tulane University and to the
city, state and region, ACT NOW to show
your tangible and lasting support for this
deserving program.
Together, we can make Tulane Athletics
the national model for a successful
Division I-A intercollegiate athletics
program.
Thank you and Think Green!
Rick Dickson
Director of Athletics
