Edward Waters University President and CEO A. Zachary Faison Jr. announced a major change to the school’s football scheduling policy, barring the Tigers from playing NCAA Division I opponents unless strict financial and competitive benchmarks are met.
The decision follows Saturday’s road game against Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss. in which EWU lost 66-14.
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Edward Waters received a $65,000 guarantee for the game, but travel expenses ran between $30,000 and $35,000, leaving the university with a net profit of approximately $30,000, Faison said.
Faison outlined the financial and competitive factors behind the decision in a statement to university athletes, coaches and supporters, noting that the payout from non-conference Division I games fails to justify the operational costs.
“The economics do not work,” Faison said in a post on X on Sunday. “We were paid a $65,000 guarantee, which covered none of our costs. Travel and related expenses ran roughly $30,000 to $35,000, so we cleared about $30,000. That does not begin to justify what such a game asks of a team, a coaching staff and a program.”
Edward Waters currently funds 29 football scholarships, which places the program in the top quarter of the SIAC, Faison said. While NCAA Division II regulations cap football scholarships at 36, Division I FCS opponents are allowed up to 63 funded scholarships.
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“When we put 29 funded scholarships on the field against an FCS limit of 63, we are not being measured,” Faison said. “We are being mismeasured.”
Faison said going forward, Edward Waters will not agree to play a Division I opponent unless the contract yields a net profit of at least $100,000 after all travel expenses are paid. In addition, the guarantee payout must equal at least 35% of whatever fee the host school receives for playing a Power Four opponent.
“My keys do not begin to rattle for anything that nets this institution less than $100,000 after travel and related costs,” Faison said. “ ... What we will not do is play a Division I opponent for less than 35% of the guarantee that institution itself receives for its own Power Four game.”
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Faison said this also limits future scheduling against NAIA programs, which offer no credit toward Division II postseason qualification. Moving forward, he said the Tigers will focus scheduling on Division II opponents within the SIAC, CIAA, Conference Carolinas and the Gulf South Conference.
“We will schedule where we belong and where we can win,” Faison said.
Faison said EWU will now shift its focus back to Division II competition as the Tigers prepare for their next game on Saturday, Sept. 12 against Miles College.
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