Hofstra University, located in Hempstead, L.I, is dropping their football program, according to media reports Friday.
The board of trustees voted unanimously Wednesday night to shut the program because of costs and fading interest and will use the $4.5 million spent annually on the team on scholarships and other priorities.
“The cost of the football program, now and in the future, far exceeds the return possible,” Hofstra president Stuart Rabinowitz said Thursday. He added that despite Hofstra having sent several players to the NFL, the program does not attract enough national attention.”Given that, along with the low level of interest, financial support and attendance among our students, our alumni and the community, the choice was painful, but clear.”
Keith Ferrara, a sophomore defensive back from Queens, said his teammates were shocked.
“It was the last thing I was expecting them to say,” he said. “I had no idea it was coming. I want to play football, so I’m probably going to transfer out.”
The small program has seen a number of its players head to the NFL New Orleans Saints star receiver Marques Colston, Kyle Arrington of New England, Stephen Bowen of Dallas and Willie Colon of Pittsburgh all made it to the NFL.
Hofstra was the second Colonial Athletic Association program in two weeks to drop football, following Northeastern, which said it did so for financial reasons.
The teams staff were notified of the decision Thursday.
Hofstra University Cuts Football Program
Good for Hofstra! It’s about time emphasis is on academics instead of so much money being spent on sports.
More scholarship money for students!!!
How much of that $4.5 million will actually go to the hands of the students vs. the board of trustees and higher level administrators (i.e. deans, vice-deans, “chairpeople”, committee heads and such). I’d like to see the breakdown of funds. In working in the higher educational world for quite a while, these types of changes rarely have any true positive effect on the students, other than the athletes that end up transferring to continue to do what they love. I feel that this is a sad state of affairs, given the fact that folks have lost the true focus of what collegiate team sports are for. That same funding could have probably been found in the paychecks of some of the “figureheads” working within the institution that find numerous other ways to spend college funds on far less meaningful endevours.