Flag Football at Gaelic Park. @MANHATTAN_FOOTBALL/ INSTAGRAM
Mary Haley and Brooke Della Rocco, Marketing Chair/Asst. Features Editor and News Editor
With the addition of new teams and an increase in student participation across campus, club sports at Manhattan University have expanded rapidly in recent years.
For many students, club sports offer a balance that Division I athletics sometimes cannot offer. Brian Astacio, a player on the university’s new club basketball team, described the experience as noticeably more competitive than intramurals, with a structure that better resembles an official game environment.
“Being part of the club sports team feels a lot different from intramurals, especially because it’s more competitive and I’m around people I don’t usually hang out with,” Astacio said. “It gives me a more realistic feeling of an under-the-whistle basketball game.”
However, the rapid growth of club teams has brought challenges. Scheduling remains one of the most common issues, especially for indoor sports that use Draddy Gymnasium, the campus’ sole basketball court.
“One of the biggest challenges we face in club basketball is getting consistent time and space in the gym,” Astacio said. “With so many [Division I] teams needing [Draddy Gymnasium], it’s tough for us to get the amount of practice time we really want.”
Funding also varies widely from team to team. Many newer clubs rely almost entirely on student dues and have not yet accessed sponsorships, fundraising or institutional budgets.
“Right now, we’re basically funding everything ourselves,” Astacio said. “The players had to pay out of pocket for jerseys and other resources.”
Not all teams face the same constraints, however. The Esports program receives direct funding from the university, which covers major expenses such as travel, equipment and jersey costs. Esports team captain Dominick Recine, explained to The Quadrangle that their program has a designated budget from the school and small dues from players, and that while funding models differ across campus, Esports has not struggled to secure resources.
“All of our money comes from the school,” Recine said. “They fund us so we can get to wherever the venue is for championships.”
According to Recine, Esports also provides a structured environment similar to traditional athletics, with separate teams for different games such as Smash Bros., Valorant and Rocket League. In previous years, the Esports team even traveled alongside MU’s men’s basketball team to their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championships in Atlantic City to participate in tournaments held at the same venue.
Assistant Director of Recreation and Wellness Antoine Orr, who joined the college in September, said student interest in club sports was evident from his first meetings with club captains.
“This was a passion point for them,” Orr said. “They wanted guidance and support on how to do the little things right.”
Orr believes the appeal of club sports comes from offering students opportunities beyond the classroom.
“Students are passionate about what they like,” Orr said. “Club sports allow them to connect and build relationships with people they may not interact with academically.”
While the passion is present, finances continue to determine what each club can afford to do season-to-season. Orr explained to The Quadrangle that most teams rely on dues, with an average cost between $100 -$125 per player, though rowing has additional costs because of equipment and competition fees. Club sports like rowing, Esports and basketball currently receive university budgets in addition to dues. Those funds typically cover uniforms, travel, meals and lodging during competitions.
Teams that operate solely from dues can face concerns, especially when membership fluctuates by year.
“If a club only has dues and students drop out because they can’t pay, then the club has less money and fewer members, which affects what they can do,” Orr said. “So it becomes a trickle-down effect for the ones that have dues and budgets, it just affords them the opportunity to do things like travel.”
Some teams supplement with fundraising, such as flag football, which recently organized funding to compete at the University of Maryland.
Looking forward, financial planning depends on the broader affairs of the university. Orr said budget decisions are influenced by enrollment and overall college resources, which can change year to year.
“If enrollment increases, then there may be an opportunity to increase budgets,” Orr said.
As club sports continue to expand, students have begun proposing additional teams, including a return of club tennis and possible development of dodgeball. Orr touched on how student initiative remains the determining factor in the stability and formation of these clubs.
“If anyone comes in with a club idea, the question is whether they have the time and are committed to making it happen,” Orr said.