The Long Beach State football program, which had financial problems for several years, is being dropped immediately. But it might be revived on a lesser scale within a couple years.
University president Curtis L. McCray said Tuesday that Long Beach State, a member of the Big West Conference, simply could not raise the funds to keep its football team competitive at the I-A level.Long Beach State fielded its first football team in 1955 and became a Division I team in the early 1970s.
The 49ers, coached by NFL Hall of Famer Willie Brown, had a 2-9 record and an average home attendance of just 3,893 this season.
The team had shown a brief resurgence the previous year, posting its first winning season (6-5) since 1986 under George Allen. But even then, home games at 12,500-seat Veterans Stadium drew an average of just 4,900 fans.
Allen died last Dec. 31 and was succeeded by Brown, who had been an assistant on his staff.
Dave O'Brien, the school's acting athletic director, said the timing of the decision allows the team's coaching staff time to pursue other opportunities and gives teams on the 1992 schedule adequate time to schedule other opponents.
O'Brien said Long Beach State will continue to honor scholarships for football players at the school who wish to remain there and finish their education. He also said players who wish to transfer will lose no eligibility.
"As a junior, it's kind of hard to just pick up and go play somewhere else," defensive back Darrick Davis said.
McCray said the program, which was Division I-A, could be brought back on at Division I-AA as early as 1993.
"I'm just going to sit back and see what happens," Brown said. "I feel sorry for the kids."
"Long Beach State is being outspent by a 2-1 margin by other Big West Conference schools and up to 5-to-1 by the national football powers on our schedule," said acting athletic director Dave O'Brien.