Lost in all the hubbub of the news of Broderick Green’s eligibility waiver being approved by the NCAA yesterday was a conversation I had with athletic director Jeff Long.

Long was at golf scramble with members of the media yesterday and I got a chance to ask him a few questions as rain moved over the course at Paradise Valley. He didn’t reveal any earth-shattering news, but he talked more about the Razorback Foundation exceeding expectations in fund raising and the hopes for improving and building facilities in the future.

Expecting an 18- to 20-percent decrease in funds compared to the last fiscal year, the Razorback Foundation had good news for Long on June 30. The foundation, which is the private fund-raising arm of the athletic department, reported a surprising increase in members and funds. The UA made the news public Wednesday.

In case you haven’t heard, membership increased nearly 200 to 10,587 and its annual fund jumped 6.75 percent to $11.8 million.

In the months leading up to the end of the fiscal year, Long was hoping funds would only decrease 10 percent. But then executive director Harold Horton kept bringing Long good news during meetings throughout the year. The decrease wasn’t as bad as originally thought.

“To be honest with you, I kind of doubted that message because of what I kept hearing with the economy,” Long said. “You didn’t believe it until we got the endgame, near the close of our books June 30.”

Long admitted that the Razorback Foundation “did have a number of folks drop off the rolls,” because of the economy in the last year. Even so, Horton and his staff managed to increase membership and drive up donations through other avenues.

The good news doesn’t necessarily mean the athletic department will be dipping into the foundation’s funds for any big-time projects soon.  Translation? No announcement for a basketball practice facility will be coming soon. A master plan for new facilities and updates to aging facilities has not been finalized, but Long hopes to have one within the next two years.

“I think we need to focus back on football, basketball and there’s an academic component we need to focus on going forward, too,” Long said. “Those are all things that are still in planning.”

Fund raising for big projects like a basketball practice facility would be led by Long and the university.

The master plan would also include facelifts to the museums inside Bud Walton Arena and the Broyles Athletic Complex, Long said.

“There are some things there that haven’t been updated in a while,” he said. “There’s great history there and we want to recognize that history.”

That doesn’t mean the UA is completely shying away from spending money. Synthetic turf was installed this summer at a price of $1.1 million inside Razorback Stadium. There’s also rumors gaining steam that ribbon boards will be installed inside the stadium before Sept. 19, the Razorbacks’ Fayetteville opener.

The UA installed ribbon boards at Bud Walton Arena in December.

When asked, Long wouldn’t deny the rumors.

“We’ll be continuing to pull some things together and get them in place for the start of the season,” Long said.

– Brandon Marcello
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