Since the launch of President Taylor Eighmy’s 10-year Strategic Vision Plan, UTSA has placed a huge emphasis on incorporating San Antonio and its culture into the university’s development and expansion. The city has been instrumental in the building of UTSA’s School of Data Science and National Security Collaboration Center, expected to be completed in July 2022, as well as the university’s partnership with the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture to create new murals downtown. Despite the investment the city has poured into UTSA, and vice versa, there is still a lot to be asked of what San Antonio, as a city, can do for the advancement of UTSA Athletics. 

The apathy that San Antonio residents have towards university sports is two-fold. First, UTSA is a relatively young university and, compared to its more established counterparts, its athletic program is less developed as well. Next, the City of San Antonio has kept marketing and promotion for UTSA centered around only what the university can do for the city versus what the city can do for UTSA. It is not to say that this discrepancy is totally the city’s fault. The university could also take the first step in a partnership to widely market athletics around the city, but at the same time San Antonio, broadly speaking, tends to pick and choose what areas it has a stake in. 

However, the city should take a special interest in all aspects of university life, especially the athletics department. Only putting investment in certain areas of UTSA and ignoring others is a disservice to students and therefore residents of San Antonio. Perhaps San Antonio’s contribution to the athletics department does not have to go as far as donating large sums of money and land, but at the very least there should be constant advancement and promotion of the university’s home games. 

Considering UT Austin, albeit a more established Texas university, the City of Austin has facilitated a culture that champions the accomplishments of the university in all respects. Such support has meant that UT football games continue to draw interest from students, alumni and locals. The same can be said for Texas Tech. From marketing to avid promotion around the areas distant from university grounds, Lubbock has put so much support and effort into promoting the university athletics that it is impossible to escape knowledge about its accomplishments. 

A decision to remain passive is short-sighted as the benefits of a San Antonio and UTSA Athletics partnership are vast. Surely, the city could gain financial benefit from branding if not done already. In addition, not only does it boost morale at home games, but it is also an affordable pull factor for the city. By investing in UTSA Athletics, or at the very least promoting it, San Antonio facilitates an environment to develop a more well-rounded university that, as it continues to expand, will grow the city.

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