Football Program May Be Rescued at CS Long Beach

Football at Cal State Long Beach apparently is on the verge of being saved.

Extending his original deadline, Long Beach President Stephen Horn announced Tuesday that $250,000 in community donations would have to be in the bank by noon Monday in order for football to continue.

He also said that there will have to be an additional $50,000 in pledges.

Previously, Horn had said that $300,000 in cash--needed to pay for grant-in-aid scholarships--would have to be raised by today.

Horn’s announcement came at a luncheon at which $12,000 was raised.

By Tuesday night, a total of $220,000 in cash had been raised, and $34,000 had been pledged, according to 49er Athletic Director John Kasser.

Kasser said Tuesday night that he expects the 49ers to play football next season.

“It (the support) has been unbelievable,” Kasser said. “I think the community has enjoyed the crisis.”

The crisis became evident in late November when Horn threatened to drop football because of a large deficit in the athletic department budget.

Kasser said he doubted whether the $300,000 could have been in hand by today. Horn said the extension was needed to allow time to get the money counted.

“I’m very confident we’re going to make it,” Horn said at Tuesday night’s Long Beach-Georgetown basketball game.