Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="jostar1, post: 1764494, member: 1737"] Joseph Duarte ‏@Joseph_Duarte · 5h5 hours ago  Bastrop, TX . @UHouston banks on joining big leagues to 'sustain' athletics spending [URL='http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/UH-banks-on-joining-big-leagues-to-sustain-9125669.php']UH banks on joining big leagues to 'sustain' athletics spending[/URL] Last June, when reports of a possible Big 12 expansion surfaced, Khator wrote to UH vice president of intercollegiate athletics Hunter Yurachek: "We need to get going fast." UH officials spent weeks drafting and perfecting a brochure, which touted UH's academic and athletic strengths, to give to officials in the bigger conferences. Khator conducted in-person meetings with eight of the 10 Big 12 university presidents, and Yurachek met in person or had phone calls with every Big 12 athletic director. Khator and Yurachek conducted an in-person meeting with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany in Chicago. Yurachek met with Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott in San Francisco. Khator exchanged at times flattering emails with several university leaders in the Big 12, including Fenves at UT and E. Gordon Gee at West Virginia, who visited UH's main campus last November. "Just writing to say hello in case you are in Houston, let me know," Khator wrote to TCU chancellor Victor Boschini in February. "The football season turned out very interesting for both of us. I loved your game against Baylor particularly. In any event, it would be lovely to see you again." In a September 2015 email exchange, Kansas State president Kirk Schulz congratulated Khator on UH's football win over Louisville. "A nice statement for your football program," wrote Schulz, who has since left for Washington State. Late last year, Khator asked her chief of staff to have UH's communications team send holiday cards to all of the Big 12 presidents, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Big Ten commissioner Delany. [I]Costly athletics arms race[/I] Emails show UH leaders firmly engaged in a competitive arms race among colleges to best position themselves for an invite to the elite athletic conferences. In June 2015, Memphis - another contender for a Big 12 spot - tweeted about a major announcement regarding new football and basketball venues. UH athletics director Yurachek wrote to Khator: "We need to push forward and formally announce a Hofheinz (Pavilion) renovation in the next 3-6 months." By November, UH announced plans for a $60 million renovation of its basketball arena that is set to begin this spring. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach