Money to be top priority for next athletics director at WSSU

There's no mystery about the primary duty of Winston-Salem State's next director of athletics.

"Raising money is paramount," Chancellor Donald Reaves said. "We need somebody who can raise money and engage the community in trying to get support for athletics."

Reaves, hoping to act quickly in replacing Chico Caldwell, spent the weekend writing a job description for the advertisement that WSSU will run as part of its national search.

"I don't have a timetable, but I do want to get this done as fast as possible," Reaves said.

Caldwell, who was fired Feb. 9 after nine years, had his critics and his allies.

Although Caldwell spent time traveling around the country and attending alumni meetings to talk about WSSU's program, some older alumni have said they felt as if they weren't being heard.

On the other side, current athletes wonder what Caldwell did to get fired.

Bryant Bayne, a senior wide receiver, said he thought that Caldwell worked very hard behind the scenes, especially with the football program.

"I know he worked very closely with our program, and I really didn't know him that well, but once I did get to know him, I thought he was a good guy," Bayne said.

Reaves would not go into detail about why he fired Caldwell, saying only that he is looking for fresh ideas. Also unresolved is the status of Caldwell's contract. Caldwell had two years left at an annual salary of about $107,000, according to the university. Neither Reaves nor Caldwell would discuss the contract buyout.

Reaves said he will look at all viable candidates for the AD position and will use a search committee. Among those mentioned as candidates are Tim Grant and Dee Todd, both WSSU alumni, and interim AD Tonia Walker, who has been at WSSU nine years.

Reaves said, however, that the new AD "doesn't have to be an alum."

One of issues surrounding the program is the move to Division I. WSSU is in the third year of a five-year transition, and it appears that Reaves will stay on that course for now.

"We have time on our side," he said. "The schedules (football and basketball) for next year are in place, and we'll play full MEAC schedules, and then we'll gather all the facts and consult as many people as we can and look at all our options."

Reaves also said he's considering moving what's left of WSSU's home basketball schedule this season -- four men's-women's doubleheaders -- to the on-campus Gaines Center. Right now, those games are scheduled to be played at Joel Coliseum Annex.

"We have to take a look at that," Reaves said from his courtside seat Saturday night, when WSSU drew just 766 fans to the annex for a doubleheader against Howard. "There are pros and cons about that because you have parking problems on campus, and you don't have enough seats. When it's on campus, all the students show up, which is great, but then you don't make any revenue."

The Rams have played at the Gaines Center twice this season, but those games were during Christmas break, when students weren't on campus.

Caldwell scheduled games at Joel Coliseum and the annex to try to increase revenue, but the city charges WSSU about $3,500 for each doubleheader. WSSU's games against N.C. A&T drew 8,432 fans, but attendance for most other doubleheaders has been low (an average of 770), and the revenue has been less than expected.

Reaves said he has been disappointed with attendance figures for basketball and that he would like the next AD to market the programs better.

"Obviously it's very important because we've got to get this story out to the community," Reaves said. "You look around here and you can see there are a lot of empty seats. We have to do a better job of building interest in the teams."

One possible solution would be to remodel the Gaines Center, which was built in the late 1970s, to increase seating from its current capacity of 3,200. The Gaines Center is too small to hold WSSU's student body of about 6,400, but playing there does give the Rams a big home-court advantage. When the Rams play at Joel or the annex, there are few students in the stands.

"We've talked about (expanding), and that would make a lot of sense," Reaves said.

But a renovation project requires money, which the athletics department lacks. The department is projected to lose about $1.5 million this school year.

"We can't continue to lose money in athletics like we have in the past," Reaves said.

■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.