If history repeats, major impact awaits Butler community off court

Located just north of the center of Indianapolis, Butler was a relatively unknown private university.

That was true until the buzzer went off Saturday, ending the Bulldogs’ regional final victory over Kansas State and thrusting the men’s basketball team into the national spotlight.

Founded in 1885, Butler University is a private liberal arts university with an  enrollment of 3,897 full-time undergraduate students and 4,512 overall.

Known by many for its academic prowess and graduation rates, Butler is slowly creeping on the radar of sports fans around the country.

Though basketball draws the most attention nationally, Butler competes in nine other sports in the Division I Horizon League. Football is the only sport not in the Horizon lineup, but instead it is a part of Division I-AA, the Football Championship Subdivision.

Participating in the NCAA tournament is nothing new for Butler, having appeared nine times with two prior Sweet Sixteen trips. Making it to the Final Four might have piqued the nation’s interest, but for Butler fans such as Abby Thompson, success on and off the court is no surprise.

“Hopefully their success will highlight the student athletes,” Thompson said. “Our athletes are great students and have the backing of the entire Butler community. Maybe it will interest students who weren’t looking at Butler before.”

Even if they don’t succeed in winning a championship, the Bulldogs have made great strides toward national recognition.

Only four years ago, an unknown school from northern Virginia was in the same spot Butler is today.

George Mason was an underdog in the 2006 NCAA tournament. Later that March, it became only the second No. 11 seed to reach the Final Four. Knocking off top programs such as Michigan State, Connecticut and North Carolina made it a sentimental favorite.

Although George Mason didn’t win the tournament, the effects from its run stretched beyond the court. According to an impact study conducted by Robert Baker of the Sport Management Center at George Mason, finances, media coverage and admissions spiked after the 2006 season.

Financially, the school was given a part of the CBS television contract, which meant $1.8 million over six years for the Patriots. Colonial Athletic Association attendance records were set the next year, too. Undergraduate applications increased 10 percent, with 17 percent coming from out-of-state schools.

Despite being seeded higher this year than George Mason was in 2006, Butler is in line for a similar boost. Those with close ties to the university already have noticed such benefits.

“The attendance has steadily climbed with success,” said Butler Assistant Sports Information Director Joshua Rattray, a 2006 Butler graduate. “This year, we averaged more than 6,800 in our home games, which was the highest since Hinkle’s capacity was lessened due to renovations. Also, with our success, we have found the ability to schedule better opponents at home such as Ohio State, Xavier, Northwestern and UAB.”

Recent graduate and Butler alumni Jackie Koumpouras watched the rise of Butler basketball and loves the attention the Final Four is bringing to the university.

“It is mind-boggling and surreal how much awareness has come about from this,” Koumpouras said. “It is all well-deserved because Butler has always been a prestigious school, and all of a sudden there’s all this basketball glory and it’s like, ‘Oh yeah, Butler University.’ I love it.”

Playing in a smaller conference means Butler doesn’t always have the opportunity to play against more well-known programs. Still, during the last four seasons, Butler has led the state of Indiana in victories. The Bulldogs have also beaten every Division I school in the state in their last meetings.

Still, Butler Sports Information Director Jim McGrath knows there is progress to be made.

“It sometimes takes awhile for perception to catch up with reality, but reaching the Final Four certainly has focused attention on Butler,” McGrath said. “But we’re a small school located directly between two major Big Ten universities, so it’s often easy to overlook Butler. I think the basketball community understands how good Butler has been, and our run this year will help take that message to a larger audience.”

Now, all Butler can do is wait to see how the team performs, what effects the success has on the school and what the future holds for Bulldog Nation. Knowing what the team has done can only benefit Butler, McGrath embraces the new frontier and attention the athletics have brought.

“The tremendous exposure we’ve been receiving will benefit our efforts in fundraising, sponsorships and ticket sales,” McGrath said. “We can expect a big spike in student applications, and of course, it enhances the sense of pride within the Butler community. It’s a good day to be a Bulldog.”