Sports sponsorship: Ball State University has announced a two-pronged plan to balance its athletics budget and provide a top-quality experience for its student athletes. Beginning in the 2004-05 academic year, the university will reduce the number of sports it sponsors from 22 to 19. Men's cross country, indoor track and outdoor track will be discontinued. In addition, the university will reduce the budgets and scholarship allocations for men's swimming and diving, and men's volleyball. The second part of the plan involves new initiatives to increase revenues through a combination of ticket sales, corporate sponsorships and private gifts. Ball State President Blaine A. Brownell made the decision after receiving a recommendation from Lawrence "Bubba" Cunningham, director of intercollegiate athletics. "We have reached a critical juncture in the future of our athletics program," Brownell said. "We appreciate the dedication to Ball State demonstrated by the student-athletes and coaches in these sports, and these decisions are in no way a reflection on their performance. However, we must take these steps to best allocate the resources of Ball State and move toward our goal of funding the athletics budget with only the annual incremental increases that are given to other areas of the university." The recommendation to cut three programs came after months of studying the budget, seeking input from the Ball State community, and listening to concerns expressed by the public, Cunningham said. "We believed it was important to get input from the Ball State community as we decided the future direction of the athletics department, and we did that," Cunningham said. "But the public process we undertook also meant we could not delay a decision because of the effect the uncertainty would have had on recruiting and fund-raising for the sports we initially identified as potential cuts." There currently are 54 men participating in track and cross country. Their scholarships will be honored through the remainder of their eligibility. The university will also combine the men's and women's swimming and diving programs. Bob Thomas, currently men's swimming and diving coach, will oversee men's and women's swimming, while women's coach Laura Seibold-Caudill will coach men's and women's diving. University funding for men's swimming scholarships will be phased out as the student-athletes graduate. Swimming scholarships still will be available through an existing swimming endowment, and private gifts will be sought to boost the value of that fund, Cunningham said. Men's volleyball scholarship funding will be reduced from $78,400 to $50,000. This reduction also will be phased in to honor the program's current commitments to its student athletes. There also is a volleyball endowment that can be used for scholarships. Ball State athletics will recover $260,000 from the reductions in 2004-05, which will be used to cover the department's projected budget deficit. Meanwhile, steps to increase revenue include increasing annual gifts to the athletics department; restructuring ticket prices to increase sales revenue, appeal to a wider audience, and encourage children up to high-school age to attend sporting events; and entering into a profit-sharing agreement with Nelligans Sports Marketing to sell corporate sponsorships, television, radio and print ads, and stadium signage. The agreement allows athletics to eliminate a vacant position and reduce in-house costs for items such as printing. The arrangement will immediately save athletics $50,000 and result in an estimated $200,000 in revenue by 2004-05, Cunningham said.

Facilities: The University of South Alabama has announced a renovation campaign to upgrade Stanky Field, home of the nationally ranked Jaguar baseball program for the last 24 seasons. Last year, South Alabama President V. Gordon Moulton and the board of trustees approved a matching-funds program for the purpose of renovating Stanky Field. Under the plan, the university agreed to match $1 to every $1.50 in private funds raised, up to $1 million in matching dollars. The renovation project is expected to reach $2.5 million. Thus far, $1.5 million has been raised. Renovations include a concrete grandstand that will feature about 1,600 chair-back seats and additional spectator back-rest bench seating. New restrooms and concession stands are planned along with an 1,800-square-foot VIP room and a new press box. "The Stanky Field renovation and upgrade campaign is currently the university's No. 1 fund-raising priority and maybe the largest single fund-raising initiative ever at South Alabama," said Joe Busta, South Alabama's vice-president of development and alumni relations. Former players Jon Lieber of the New York Yankees and Luis Gonzalez of the Arizona Diamondbacks were the first renovation donors. Lieber pledged $150,000 and Gonzalez donated $100,000 toward the campaign. Since the first official game on March 8, 1980, South Alabama teams have won 75 percent of their home games at Stanky Field, named for the late Jaguar coaching legend Eddie Stanky.

Miscellaneous: The Paul W. Bryant Museum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was presented the LeRoy Neiman original painting "Bear Bryant" by owner Lionel F. Baxter Jr. and his wife Dee. A new exhibit opening this fall will display the Neiman and commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Bryant Museum. With the painting as the centerpiece, the new exhibit also will showcase other works of sports art the museum has collected since its opening in 1988. Neiman, best known for his vibrant colors and energetic images of sporting events and legends, is still one of the most popular artists in the United States. The painting of Bryant was finished in 1977 and a limited edition of 300 serigraphs was produced. University of Alabama football players also are featured in two other paintings by LeRoy Neiman: former Alabama quarterback Joe Namath when he was with the New York Jets, and quarterback Terry Davis and the Alabama wishbone offense.

-- Compiled by Gary T. Brown