Dear Scarlet Nation,

 

Let me start by thanking you for your unprecedented support of Rutgers football during our inaugural Big Ten season.

After setting an attendance record for our game against Penn State on Sept. 13, we have announced Saturday's game against Michigan as a sellout. Our expectation is that the Wisconsin game will be sold out as well. Great accomplishments can't be achieved without great fans.

 

As we move through the academic and athletic calendar year all 24 Rutgers sports programs will be competing against the best of the best in the Big Ten Conference. Though it has only been a few months since our official entry into the Big Ten, it is my privilege to share some of the tremendous progress the Athletic Department has made since last summer.

 

Your unwavering support has played a significant role in the great strides we have made as an Athletic Department, from ticket sales to fundraising and facility development to the game day experience to the implementation of facility improvements that help make Rutgers sporting events even more enjoyable.

 

Here are some of the recent Athletic Department highlights:

• Created renovated RAC offices for men's basketball, women's basketball, women's soccer, track, men's and women's golf, field hockey, baseball and softball;
• Successfully fundraised for the increased salary of three football assistants, a new wrestling assistant and two new men's basketball assistants;
• Revamped the athletic fundraising staff and the department's philosophy to focus on annual giving;
• Fiscal Year 2014 fundraising revenue showed an increase of 19% without a capital project; 
• Fiscal Year 2014 total donors saw an increase of 3,000 donors -- a 60 percent gain;
• Opened the athletic director's box and deck at High Point Solutions Stadium to create new donor fundraising and interaction;
• Extended and enhanced head football coach Kyle Flood's contract through private funding;
• Renewed the contract of Hall of Fame women's basketball coach C. Vivian Stringer;
• Hired Kari Williams as the women's golf coach;
• Promoted Mike O'Neill to the head coaching position for women's soccer and Joe Litterio from associate baseball coach to head baseball coach;
• The women's soccer team, currently ranked No. 16 in the country, has emerged as an immediate Big Ten force;
• Increased football full season ticket base from 22,000 in 2013 to 31,000-plus in 2014;
• Renewed 96 percent of 2013 football season tickets for 2014;
• Implemented dynamic ticket pricing for Big Ten football ticket sales, which has already generated $350,000 in additional revenue;
• Created history with the school's largest on-campus football attendance ever on Sept. 13 with 53,774 fans at High Point Solutions Stadium for our inaugural Big Ten Conference game;
• Revised the football parking guidelines to increase revenue;
• High Point Solutions Stadium upgrades and improvements include five new LED ribbon boards, additional men's bathrooms, a widened concourse along the North and West sides, new Homeland Security camera systems and a new Distributed Antenna System (DAS) that, when fully installed, will enhance cellular service;
• Rutgers Athletic Center improvements include a new court design, seven new LED ribbon boards and a new LED scorer's table;
• Created Athletic Department Creative Services to build content for the Big Ten Network (BTN) and scarletknights.com, with an emphasis on providing in-game content;
• Hosted R Big Party, a July 1 celebration to commemorate Rutgers' official entry into the Big Ten Conference. Guests included Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany and several Big Ten presidents and athletic directors;
• Increased brand awareness throughout New Jersey and the Metropolitan area with an extensive billboard campaign and a first-ever Rutgers Athletics caravan (R Big Tour) that made stops in New York City, Hoboken, Atlantic City, Belmar and Cherry Hill. Overall there were 145 appearances throughout New Jersey;
• Created the Big Ten City and Campus Committees in preparation for our transition into the Big Ten as well as the Big Ten Greeters program;
• Implementation of "R-Care," a program created for the comprehensive care of our student-athletes;
• Established a partnership with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital to provide an enhanced medical care system for all student-athletes;
• Implemented the IMG Partnership to aggressively pursue and monetize Rutgers' marketing potential;
• Negotiated reduced exit fee with former league;
• Completed a comprehensive Title IX review by national expert;
• Launched The Varsity R, an expanded and restructured Letter Winners association to include former student-athletes from every sport;
• Men's basketball has seen an 86 percent renewal rate for season tickets while women's basketball had a 78 percent renewal rate;
• Wrestling has a 100 percent renewal rate for season tickets and has shattered previous records for season tickets;
• Parking revenue for the Penn State game was the highest in school history for any game.

Understand that this is an abridged version of the exceptional work our staff has accomplished in this past year. As we go forward, I will periodically share with you our Department progress and our vision as we strive to become a Big Ten athletic force, fiercely competitive in the classroom and in competition. 

 

I also want to thank and congratulate all of our student-athletes for their exceptional performance in the classroom.

With 233 student-athletes qualifying for Dean's List, with a cumulative athletic grade point average of 3.1 and with three teams making the Top 10 in the APR - including perfect scores by the women's golf and women's lacrosse teams - the commitment to the classroom by our coaches and student-athletes continues to represent the Athletic Department's mission at the highest level.

Thank you again for your passionate support of our Rutgers student-athletes and coaches.

 

Julie Hermann