Schools: Hosting presidential debates costly, but worth it

11 Jul 2016

The first U.S. general election presidential debate will take place in September at Wright State University and the Dayton school is preparing to absorb the consequences — good and bad — that come with it.

Hosting a debate is expensive, time-consuming and fraught with potential problems, but those who have hosted past presidential and vice presidential debates told the Dayton Daily News the cost is worth it.

Hosting a presidential debate is expensive and time-consuming—but schools also say it’s worth it https://t.co/MNycm7yTT7

— ABC News (@ABC) July 10, 2016

“This is like the Super Bowl of politics,” said Bob Fisher, president of Belmont University in Nashville, which hosted one of the 2008 presidential debates at a cost of about $3 million. “I think everybody saw the wisdom of investing in something like this.”

The Wright State debate will cost the university between $5 million and $6 million to put on the debate, according to university president David Hopkins. The school has already paid $1.9 million to the Commission on Presidential Debates to stage and produce the debate.

Wooooooooow! I just found out that my small-town alma mater is hosting the 2016 VP debate. Go @longwoodu! https://t.co/IKmH5xbg2b

— Kevin Robinson (@amras) July 11, 2016

On top of the hefty price tag, the university will have to deal with the security challenge of having thousands of students, media and visitors attending watch parties and other campus activities surrounding the debate. The Secret Service is in charge of the security in the enclosed perimeter of the debate hall, but Hopkins said he hopes the state and other universities will help local jurisdictions beef up security.

The commission also stressed to Wright State that the debate will be a bigger event than usual “because of who’s involved and the atmosphere” and has to go on glitch free, Hopkins said.

Four big elements of the U.S. presidential debate that are similar to the Brexit debate https://t.co/6VI3LGifm4

— Capital Journal (@WSJPolitics) June 17, 2016

Though the event is a mine field of potential problems, it brings “millions and millions” of media hits from around the world, said Melissa Connolly, a spokeswoman at Hofstra University, which has hosted two debates and is an alternate for this election cycle.

“It’s nothing close to anything you would do in terms of exposure around the world for the university,” she said. “(Except) maybe winning a national title in basketball or something.”

Associated Press.

Image via AP.