Wichita ? Mayor Carlos Mayans is dropping a proposal to resurrect the football program at Wichita State University.

The move came a little more than two weeks after Mayans presented a plan to Wichita State President Don Beggs that called for using public money to bring football back to the school.

The program ended after the 1986 season because of declining interest and a growing athletic department debt. School officials said the program lost $839,000 that season, when it averaged less than 10,000 fans per game.

Reviving football has been a recurring subject at the school since then, with both sides of the debate citing conflicting evidence about whether having a football program helps a university.

The mayor had said reviving the football program could boost the university’s enrollment and give the community a team to follow.

Initially, Beggs said he was not enthused about Mayans’ plan. Then last week, Mayans said Beggs made it more official when the president said the school will not pursue a football program based on the mayor’s proposal.

“I’ve always said the decision to bring back Wichita State football has been the president’s,” Mayans said. “I already know the president doesn’t want to do it.”

The plan had called for Wichita State setting aside some of the $6 million it receives in property tax money for athletic scholarships. Mayans also suggested selling 17,000 tickets in advance at $150 each and convincing athletic boosters to donate $10 million.

Mayans made it clear during a city council meeting Tuesday that he was letting the proposal drop. The move came after some council members said Mayans’ go-it-alone pursuit of football was one example of larger problems that they view as evidence of poor leadership.

Mayans insisted he was not trying to speak for the council on the football issue. He said he had pursued the issue alone because he stands up for what he believes in.