Dear Mariners,

On Friday, September 16, Homecoming weekend kicked off with a Football Summit. You can watch the presentation as well as the Q&A in full online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlrP3oATD6E.
The bottom-line up front: Maine Maritime has an invitation to become an associate member of a New England-based athletic conference in the sport of football beginning in 2025, and a path was laid out for our alumni and guests in attendance. To make that happen, our alumni and friends are being asked to provide 75% of the $750,000, or $562,500, of necessary startup costs by the end of the current calendar year.
The bulk of the startup costs are geared towards staffing the program back up to recruit the athletes necessary to sustain the program. It also includes a minor restructure of the department staff to develop the proper personnel infrastructure to support football and all the programs in the department. It also includes all costs incidental to the operation of the program. The timeline we have developed began with varsity competition in 2025, using the fall of 2023 and 2024 for sub-varsity seasons as the locker room is replenished.
The timing of the league invitation arriving on the Tuesday ahead of Homecoming was a bit of serendipity. It is also critical. The importance of the invitation cannot be understated. Besides funding, a league to call home, with the games and the access to the NCAA postseason that it provides, is the most critical factor in the operation of a football program. There is presently a game of musical chairs happening in New England football with conference membership realigning. We have the good fortune of knowing when the music stops next and being promised a seat should we take it.
"The return of MMA's football tradition could be an exciting era," said Academy President Jerry Paul. "If the resources are generated to restart from the pause, the program would be integrated into the athletic department and the campus quality of life for many students."
"It could diversify our sports programs by re-opening the opportunity of The MMA Experience and our brand of hands-on education to a demographic of high school graduate that values this sport. We would welcome and embrace these student-athletes wholeheartedly. We would expect that they would join the ranks of many of MMA's most successful alumni who played football here."
The goal of hitting $562,500 cash-in-hand by December 31 is not random. It is what is necessary to restart the program and to stay on the timeline. President Paul has assured me that if we hit those marks, we set sail.
I am pleased to report that those in attendance have already begun to heed the call to action. Before the sun had set on Homecoming Saturday, a campaign had already begun to take shape, with Len Tyler serving as the honorary Head Coach of The MMA Football Move the Chains Committee and Ed Scott '89E stepping in as the honorary Quarterback.
"I am looking forward not only to the return of football to MMA, but the creation of a program that integrates seamlessly into the athletic and campus culture and fully reflects the Academy tradition of smart, tough, hardworking students," said Scott.
My Associate Athletic Director, Tricia Carver, Women's Basketball Coach and Advancement Associate, Craig Dagan, NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative, Steven Baer, and I had all committed our financial support to this endeavor before work had gotten underway on Monday morning following Homecoming.
Those who wish to support the return of football can do so by contributing on MaineMaritime.edu: https://mainemaritime.edu/giving/, designating "other" and leaving football in the comment box. Your support is as risk-free as it is necessary. If you give and the goal is not realized, your donation will be refunded.

The MMA Football Move the Chains Committee has established that legacy awards will be created for the highest individual contribution, the highest corporate contribution and the highest amount raised by an individual through other sources. They have established a series of giving levels as well:

• "First Down Club" members who contribute or raise $1,000 or more
• "Founders Club" members who contribute $1,946 or more in honor of the first year of Maine Maritime Football. All members of the Founders Club and above will have their name on a permanent plaque in the locker room entry.
• "Field Goal Club" members who contribute or raise $3,000 or more
• "Touchdown Club" members who contribute or raise $6,000 or more
• Honorary position (each of 22 positions in a starting lineup such as fullback, linebacker, etc.) for first person who donates $10,000)
• An individual plaque will be created and placed in the football locker room for each contributor at the "All-American" level of $25,000 or above. 

 
Prior to the kickoff of the first home football game for the new team, there will be a ceremony on the field. Each contributor will be presented on the field and each contributor's name will be announced over the loudspeaker. Those who are in the founders, field goal, and touchdown club will wear an honorary jersey presented to them by the Academy.
I am incredibly excited to have arrived at this point. We have an opportunity to not only restore our commitment to one of the Academy's longest-standing traditions, but to renew our commitment to its success. I hope that you will join us as we move quickly to seize upon this opportunity!
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Sincerely,
Steve Peed
Director of Athletics
207.326.2451