The fate of football at ETSU is now in the hands of the Buccaneer student body.
ETSU President Paul Stanton made the announcement on Dec. 22, 2006. His statement came after a football task force was formed and students were polled.
The results of the poll that was conducted favored the return of football to ETSU. More than 80 percent of the students who took the survey voted to bring the gridiron game back. Sixty-two percent said they would be willing to pay an additional fee to fund the program.
About 60 percent of the faculty and staff would like to see football return as well.
Now, the Student Government Association will have the task of informing the student body about the referenwhich will be held during the SGA elections this spring.
“The SGA will have the referendum in April 2007,” said Dave Mullins, ETSU athletic director. “The survey was unofficial, but the referendum is an official vote the president will use to make his recommendation to the Tennessee Board of Regents.”
On the referendum will be the question of student fees to help start and maintain the football program. Stanton said the additional fee could start out at $50 and over time increase to about $100 per semester. The athletic fee currently stands at $75 per semester. Other options for acquiring football funds could come from fundraising efforts.
A possible change in conference could take place if ETSU football gets enough momentum to support a team.
The place to play football is yet to be determined. ETSU may create a new stadium with a price tag that could run anywhere from $10 million to $15 million.
If it is decided that football will return to ETSU, the construction on the stadium and subsequent facilities would be scheduled for completion in June 2010 with the first game set for fall 2010.

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