To the Northeastern Community,

I am writing to inform you that the University’s senior administration, president, and Board of Trustees have accepted my recommendation to discontinue Northeastern’s intercollegiate football program. Last night I shared the news with our players and staff. The decision was a difficult one, made all the more difficult because of the respect and admiration I have for our coaches and players. Despite my personal feelings toward them, I am convinced that this decision is in the best interest of the university. The past several years have been disappointing for our football program despite the best efforts of our staff and players.

We do not define success merely through wins and losses. Instead, we recognize that success comes from creating a positive student-athlete experience. The primary motivation for this decision was based on the significant obstacles to providing this experience for our football players. Since early 2007, a broad cross section of the university-including trustees, faculty, students, alumni, donors, and senior administrators-thoroughly investigated the options and opportunities associated with achieving and sustaining excellence in all athletic programs. Elevating and sustaining a competitive Division 1 football program would require additional multimillion dollar investments on an ongoing basis. A broad consensus developed behind discontinuing football and focusing future resources on programs-both academic and non-academic-where the university can achieve and sustain leadership.

This announcement was made as soon as the season was over to allow our players and staff the most time possible to make decisions about their future. This allows those players interested in playing somewhere else ample opportunity to participate in campus recruiting for next year. Let me assure you that we will make every effort to help our players with this transition. We encourage all of our players to remain at Northeastern to receive their degrees. Those who choose to do so will continue to receive their athletic scholarships. Our entire staff also stands ready to assist those who have been impacted by this decision.

As I have said many times before, athletics should contribute to the life of the university and positively impact those who participate. I want athletics to serve as a source of pride for our community, while fielding teams that we feel can compete every time they take the field, ice, track, pool, or court.

Thank you for your ongoing support of Northeastern Athletics.

Sincerely
Peter P. Roby, Director of Athletics and Recreation