Saturday, Nov. 22, was a wonderful day for Wyoming and its university.
One of our most successful and famous alumni, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, returned to Laramie to be honored with the retirement of his No. 17 jersey in front of a standing-room-only crowd in our newly renovated War Memorial Stadium.
The occasion not only drew people from across Wyoming and beyond to celebrate the success of the National Football League’s Most Valuable Player and his UW legacy; it also attracted media attention to the University of Wyoming at an amazing level, in outlets ranging from ESPN to The New York Times to People Magazine.
Shining a light on UW’s role in Josh’s underdog-to-superstar success story has given the university’s marketing and public relations efforts a big boost, the results of which will have multifaceted benefits to the university and the state for years to come.
But the publicity related to Josh’s visit and ties to UW also illustrates a broader phenomenon: how the university’s NCAA Division I athletics program unites the people of Wyoming, our alumni and supporters everywhere; how it serves as a point of pride for the entire state; how it elevates the university’s national profile; and how it brings economic and other benefits to our least populated state in the nation.
The collegiate athletics landscape has changed a great deal in the seven years since Josh received his diploma from UW.
The ability of student-athletes to benefit financially has placed an even stronger emphasis on finances, and universities across the country have ramped up their pursuit of private and public dollars in order to compete successfully.
UW is no different; we are putting forth every effort to generate more revenue internally while seeking additional support from donors, corporate partners and state government.
Quite frankly, our ability to maintain UW’s proud Division I athletic tradition depends upon how successful we are in these efforts.
To gauge the level of support from the people of Wyoming regarding the future of UW Athletics, we recently commissioned a statewide survey, with full geographic representation from border to border. The results were remarkable.
Among the findings: A total of 84 percent of Wyomingites say UW athletics programs are important to the identity and reputation of the state. And some 25 percent of respondents described themselves as avid, involved UW sports fans, with 62 percent saying they’re casual fans, for a total of 87 percent.
Almost as impressive were the responses to questions about funding.
Asked how strongly they support or oppose the use of state-appropriated dollars to support UW athletics programs, 20 percent responded “strongly support” and 34 percent said “support,” for a total of 54 percent.
Opposing or strongly opposing were 17 percent, with 30 percent neutral. And 46 percent would support increasing state funding to match private donations for purposes such as recruiting, team travel, student-athlete nutrition and equipment -- as long as it didn’t require a tax increase -- with 28 percent opposed and 26 percent neutral.
We have long known that Wyoming fans have a great deal of pride and passion for our programs, but these survey results show a breadth of interest and support around the state that goes even beyond what we expected.
It’s clear that the people of Wyoming are behind the Cowboys and Cowgirls and want us to succeed at the highest levels possible.
Three states with larger populations in our region don’t have FBS Division I football programs. They envy our position and have been looking for opportunities to move up for years, but those opportunities have not materialized.
With the support of Wyoming’s elected officials and our donors, we have made facility and other upgrades that have set us up to continue our top-level tradition, and we are intent upon competing for championships in the Mountain West Conference. Enhanced private and public financial support will give us the edge we need.
If you have any question about UW’s ability to make its mark regionally and nationally on the athletic field, look no further than what has happened with Josh Allen and other former Pokes, including in-state products Logan Wilson and Frank Crum, now with the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos, respectively.
Now as a national household name, Josh has shown what is possible when a raw talent is discovered through strategic recruiting, honed through good coaching and experience, and polished with much hard work.
His achievement reflects what UW is all about, and we aim to build on his legacy, even as he continues striving in western New York to lead his team to a Super Bowl.
One of our survey questions focused on that legacy. Asked to what extent Josh’s success has increased pride in and visibility of the Cowboys and Cowgirls athletic programs, 84 percent agreed, 61 percent strongly so.
As you consider your ability to contribute to UW Athletics -- whether that be through game attendance, Cowboy Joe Club donations, NIL support or conversations with your friends, neighbors and policymakers -- we ask you to keep Josh’s story in mind.
Success in athletics, while just one aspect of Wyoming’s university, will lift our state’s spirit, pride and profile.
Go Pokes!
Tom Burman is the University of Wyoming’s director of intercollegiate athletics.
