Since it looks like a football team is nowhere in the immediate plans for the university, you’re going to have to a wait to wear any UNF football gear.

College football teams often start off shaky at the beginning of their creation before becoming more successful in the following years. And for those who think we already have a place on campus for football, President Delaney thinks otherwise.

“Our athletic budget is around $12 [million] right now, and it would take $9 million more to really be able to get football going. Plus we’d need a bunch of capital investment to put a stadium up,” said Delaney. “The Hodges Stadium wouldn’t really work well for football because the track is around it.”

UNF Athletics broke down what it would take to start up a football team:

• At least 25,000 students
• Student athletics fee would nearly double to at least $38 per credit hour
• Additional revenue to build a football stadium and facilities
• Additional revenue to maintain the program after its creation

At the moment, UNF is home to just over 16,000 students with athletic fees at $19.27 per credit hour. This would all change with a football program being integrated into athletics.

With the hefty price tag, students aren’t too upset that there isn’t currently a team. UNF’s reputation in academics and other sports such as basketball is strong enough to hold their interest, even when compared to bigger universities with football programs.

Beau Bradley, a first-semester nursing student, came to UNF for its academic feel, but isn’t opposed to having a football program after seeing what having a team was like at FSU.

“I wouldn’t mind, I would have to see what that would look like,” Bradley said. “UNF is a really big academic institution and I love that we have a lot of sports going on and we have basketball. But they will be up against a lot of competition here in Florida.”

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