Jets will return to SUNY Cortland this summer
SUNY Cortland will once again host the New York Jets training camp this summer. College officials expect the number of spectators will continue to grow with the Jets’ recent acquisition of former Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.
“We think this year’s training camp is going to be even more exciting and more beneficial to the community than it has in the past,” SUNY Cortland President Erik Bitterbaum said. “We expect camp will draw more people to Cortland and the national spotlight that shines on our campus as the host of a National League Football team will be even brighter.”
The Jets held productive training camps at SUNY Cortland in 2009 and 2010, Rex Ryan’s first two seasons as the team’s head coach. Because of the uncertainty created by the National Football League’s contract dispute with players last year, the Jets were forced to hold camp at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, N.J., instead of Cortland.
The Jets plan to return to Cortland this year, and have begun meeting with College officials. The team also is scheduled to hold its 2013 camp at SUNY Cortland. The Jets’ agreement with the College includes a renewal clause for potentially two more years after that.
In 2010, the three-week camp drew more than 41,000 people to campus, creating an estimated economic impact of $5.8 million in the Central New York region.
As part of the Jets’ agreement with SUNY Cortland, the team places up to 60 students with majors ranging from communication studies to exercise science in summer internships. The College’s increased visibility has helped student recruitment, President Bitterbaum said. Last year, more than 12,000 students applied for about 1,200 openings at SUNY Cortland.
The specific dates of the camp have not yet been set, but it will take place during July and August.
“Our partnership with the Jets offers an extraordinary opportunity for our students, the community, the College and the team,” Bitterbaum said. “It truly is a win-win situation for all parties involved.”
