Leach holds key to successful expansion

By John Hillman  |   Sunday, June 07, 2009  |  Comments( 3 )

Texas Tech Red Raiders
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Last month, the Texas Tech Board of Regents approved a $6 million, 6,000-seat addition to Jones Stadium. But two standards involving head football coach Mike Leach must be reached in order for the Red Raiders to generate a decent return on this investment.

First and foremost, Leach should direct the Tech football program for the next five years. The Red Raiders achieved this goal when they successfully negotiated a contract extension with him last spring.

Secondly, Leach must match Big XII rivals Texas and Oklahoma on the field and land Texas Tech a BCS bowl game berth. That step will prove more daunting and might never occur.

In his defense, Leach deserves the credit for increasing Texas Tech’s fan base to its current level and achieving greater on-field success. Prior to his arrival in 2000, the Red Raiders drew slightly over 40,000 fans per contest.

In 2009, Leach will likely become the school’s leader in career victories, and his string of consecutive bowl appearances should continue. But those achievements aren’t enough to entice additional ticket buyers.

Last season, the Red Raiders journeyed to the cusp of football greatness. After defeating the top-ranked Longhorns, Texas Tech rose to No. 2 in the polls, the highest placement in school history.

The following week, Tech kept its title hopes intact by defeating Oklahoma State. But a blowout loss to Oklahoma dropped the Red Raiders into the Cotton Bowl; there, Ole Miss wrecked havoc against Tech.

Pundits predict a middle-of-the-road finish for Leach and the gang in 2009. A mid-September meeting with Texas in Austin might spell early disappointment and cause the Red Raiders to languish in mediocrity. If football fortunes don’t improve, few Tech fans may be willing to spend $100 per ticket and $40 per car to watch their team perform in the season finale at the Dallas Cowboys new stadium in Arlington.

The new project expands Tech’s home field to 60,000 seats, making it a mid-size Big XII facility. Future plans include increasing the capacity to 85,000, and demand certainly dictates the move. The Red Raiders experienced five sellouts last season and averaged over 50,000 for their seven home games.

But with a current minimum price of $95 per ticket, new Tech enthusiasts will be difficult to find. Pleasing the established fans won’t come easy either, and a few more Independence or Alamo Bowl appearances could make them decide to find other entertainment alternatives.
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About John Hillman

John Hillman graduated from Baylor University in 1974 with a BBA in accounting and earned an MBA from Baylor in 1987. He worked for accounting firms until 1982 when he became the chief financial officer for an independent insurance claims adjusting service, a position he still holds today. ...
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