Sept. 25, 2008

ECU-NCSU/UNC Scheduling Letter From Terry Holland (In PDF Format)

STATEMENT BY ECU ATHLETICS DIRECTOR TERRY HOLLAND (re: scheduling letter)

The June 18, 2008 letter recommending the adoption of a new scheduling format was an effort to first recognize how important and successful the previous games had been, particularly the 2007 games played in Greenville during the ECU Centennial. Some type of new approach seemed appropriate as we were having difficulty finding agreement on future playing dates. .

The letter attempts to sum up future scheduling principles discussed during several telephone conversations. Equalizing the number of games played by North Carolina and NC State against ECU seemed to be a priority for NC State. Therefore, ECU was offering to play NC State every third year in the short term and move the other two games into the proposed twenty-year playing arrangement beginning in 2018.

After the letter was sent, conversations have continued with both NC State and North Carolina. North Carolina has found it difficult to replace the 2010 and 2011 games with ECU so that they could be moved to later dates, and therefore, those discussions continue.

NC State felt the changes would be beneficial to their program and asked to be able to begin scheduling on the assumption that the three institutions would eventually make a written commitment to the general principles. It has always been my view that this recommendation was a three-way proposal requiring a commitment from all three institutions.

If NC State has scheduled games based on the verbal agreement, then ECU will certainly honor the verbal agreement but ECU is also prepared to honor the previous written contract which technically is legally-binding until it is replaced by a new contract.

ECU has never wavered in expressing the desire to play both North Carolina and NC State annually but we also feel it is time to put this issue to bed so that all three institutions can move on to the important task of establishing our scheduling priorities for the future.

The economic impact of a college football game on our respective "home" localities is substantial, particularly games involving local rivalries. It is important to remember that when any of us play away games in another state that could have been played in North Carolina, the taxpayers of this state are the losers.