Big East TV Deal with FOX, TNT, and NBC

[superjohn]

I'm not making that last argument.

I think some losses are acceptable.

I just gave a number of $10-15m.

There are schools like West Virginia that are decimating themselves academically while maintaining a huge athletics deficit.

This is the position you don't want. But given UConn's financial troubles prior to the legislature's increase, this was territory that UConn was entering.

Something has to give.

Uconn is very near the point of being unable to fulfill its whole reason for being. It's at 26% out of state residents at this point. As it moves into that 30%+ space with ever increasing tuition, it really begins to act as more of a private university with state residents unable to access it.

50% of University of Michigan students are out of state, 51% of University of Wisconsin students are out of state, 46% of University of Iowa students are out of state.

 

[upstater]

If I remember correctly, state funding is up, but the COVID funding is going away. The COVID funding was not supposed to be used to increase spending on new positions, but to maintain spending or for one time things. Many town school districts took their COVID funding and increased spending and now they are "cutting" positions that were funded with the one time COVID boost. It is incredible when people were told the COVID spending was one time, but they increased permanent spending without thinking it through.

I give the actual numbers of the state subsidy without federal subsidy in some of the posts here.

In 2016, UConn was at $240.6m in state subsidy. In 2018, it dropped to $200m.

This is pre-pandemic. If we're saying that the money shouldn't have been spent to fund UConn at a level similar to 2010 or 2016, you're also saying that the cuts to funding at UConn should be made more or less permanent.

 

[upstater]

50% of University of Michigan students are out of state, 51% of University of Wisconsin students are out of state, 46% of University of Iowa students are out of state.

And always a huge problem with B1G institutions. Penn State gets less than 5% of its funding from the state.

This is why PSU refused to provide transparent documents of funding to state legislatures. It operates as a private university.

 

[Hamms30]

I'm not making that last argument.

I think some losses are acceptable.

I just gave a number of $10-15m.

There are schools like West Virginia that are decimating themselves academically while maintaining a huge athletics deficit.

This is the position you don't want. But given UConn's financial troubles prior to the legislature's increase, this was territory that UConn was entering.

If UConn somehow lands in a power conference though and say we get 37M a year from the media and now that 35M deficit is now a 2M surplus. Wouldn't the state just say, Hey that's 37M a year less we need to fund to UConn and then we wind up with the same 35M deficit?

edit: and on an afterthought, I guess you'd have to find a way to quantify the loss of revenue by playing in Hartford for our commitments and what the revenue uptick downtown Hartford gets as a result of the requirements?

 

[upstater]

If UConn somehow lands in a power conference though and say we get 37M a year from the media and now that 35M deficit is now a 2M surplus. Wouldn't the state just say, Hey that's 37M a year less we need to fund to UConn and then we wind up with the same 35M deficit?

edit: and on an afterthought, I guess you'd have to find a way to quantify the loss of revenue by playing in Hartford for our commitments and what the revenue uptick downtown Hartford gets as a result of the requirements?

All I'm saying is that you don't want to slash academics and preserve athletics, and at the same time -- as a public institution -- you need to make your school accessible to the general public.

Someone mentioned the B1G schools but you need to account for the fact that those schools are massive and that there are multiple other options for a world-class university education.

UConn is not only smaller than the B1G schools, but it's the only school in the state that is a public world class university.

 

[superjohn]

And always a huge problem with B1G institutions. Penn State gets less than 5% of its funding from the state.

This is why PSU refused to provide transparent documents of funding to state legislatures. It operates as a private university.

University of Alabama 63% out of state, Ole Miss 57% out of state, University of Arkansas 50% out of state.

 

[ScottVib]

Yes, you stated that correctly. Basketball generated $10.6M in 2023 revenue while football lost $13M. This is the trend I was trying to point out. Our football program does not sustain itself and adds to the deficit year after year. It’s not a sound strategy.

These aren’t apples to apples here, as it’s comparing revenue to profit.. all UConn sports programs lose money:

Revenue / Expenses
Football: $6.01M / $20.07M (-$14.06M)
Men’s BB: $10.63M / $13.89M (-$3.26M)
Women’s BB: $4.43M / $10.47M (-$6.04M)
Others: $4.20M / $22.73M (-$18.53M)

Source: Sportico

 

[CL82]

I give the actual numbers of the state subsidy without federal subsidy in some of the posts here.

In 2016, UConn was at $240.6m in state subsidy. In 2018, it dropped to $200m.

This is pre-pandemic. If we're saying that the money shouldn't have been spent to fund UConn at a level similar to 2010 or 2016, you're also saying that the cuts to funding at UConn should be made more or less permanent.

View attachment 101747

Yes it's a 40 million cut since the high watermark which in of itself was a $45 million increase to the number that was being funded just three years before. I suppose I could point out that fiscal year 2020 was $5 million higher than fiscal year 2013.

Look I don't pretend to know what the "right number" is for the subsidy the state provides for the university, but I'm always wary of picking whatever the highest number is, without additional reasoning as to why those high points were perceived as being necessary, and saying look there's been a $40 million drop since the highest state funding amount.

 

[kobe]

Kobe,

Where you been man? How about a FB wager, straight up, who has the most wins this fall, Huskies or Pussycats?

wish the best for the huskies this upcoming season.

i enjoy watching fcs football occasionally, it’s a more nostalgic feel of 18-22 year olds that i know are playing football for the right reasons. it’s a stark difference from the power conference football i watch cincinnati play.

hope ill be able to catch a game! just need to reactive my facebook account!!

 

[BigTenFan]

I'm not making that last argument.

I think some losses are acceptable.

I just gave a number of $10-15m.

There are schools like West Virginia that are decimating themselves academically while maintaining a huge athletics deficit.

This is the position you don't want. But given UConn's financial troubles prior to the legislature's increase, this was territory that UConn was entering.

Something has to give.

Uconn is very near the point of being unable to fulfill its whole reason for being. It's at 26% out of state residents at this point. As it moves into that 30%+ space with ever increasing tuition, it really begins to act as more of a private university with state residents unable to access it.

Also- most Public Universities have a sizeable international student class. UConn is approx 10% which is separate number from out of state students.

 

[upstater]

Yes it's a 40 million cut since the high watermark which in of itself was a $45 million increase to the number that was being funded just three years before. I suppose I could point out that fiscal year 2020 was $5 million higher than fiscal year 2013.

Look I don't pretend to know what the "right number" is for the subsidy the state provides for the university, but I'm always wary of picking whatever the highest number is, without additional reasoning as to why those high points were perceived as being necessary, and saying look there's been a $40 million drop since the highest state funding amount.

I showed a pre-pandemic graph.

The data is anything but cherrypicked.

The money should go up with inflation and with state revenues.

That graph show two dips.

As for 2010 and what happened there, the economic meltdown of 2009 caused that. You can certainly assume that prior to the bank meltdown, funding was more stable. This has happened nationally. It's the reason tuition is up so much.

The more you push it, the more unsustainable it all becomes.

 

[upstater]

If UConn somehow lands in a power conference though and say we get 37M a year from the media and now that 35M deficit is now a 2M surplus. Wouldn't the state just say, Hey that's 37M a year less we need to fund to UConn and then we wind up with the same 35M deficit?

edit: and on an afterthought, I guess you'd have to find a way to quantify the loss of revenue by playing in Hartford for our commitments and what the revenue uptick downtown Hartford gets as a result of the requirements?

The state can decide how much it wants to fund athletics. If it is explicitly telling UConn that this money is being given to the school for the athletics shortfall, that's more than fine.

I'm only saying that if, at the same time, the state is falling behind on funding UConn, then whatever deal the state is making with the school regarding support for athletics is coming at the expense of academics. If I give you $30 for breakfast and lunch and tell you that $5 of it is for ice cream, then the next year I give you $29 for breakfast and lunch and tell you $6 of it is for ice cream, well... then you have less money for breakfast and lunch.

 

[NJHusky]

If I remember correctly, state funding is up, but the COVID funding is going away. The COVID funding was not supposed to be used to increase spending on new positions, but to maintain spending or for one time things. Many town school districts took their COVID funding and increased spending and now they are "cutting" positions that were funded with the one time COVID boost. It is incredible when people were told the COVID spending was one time, but they increased permanent spending without thinking it through.

You expect a gov't administrator to make smart fiscal decisions and not spend every dollar in front of them?...to expect logic from an illogical creature shows you lack it yourself...

 

[NJHusky]

These aren’t apples to apples here, as it’s comparing revenue to profit.. all UConn sports programs lose money:

Revenue / Expenses
Football: $6.01M / $20.07M (-$14.06M)
Men’s BB: $10.63M / $13.89M (-$3.26M)
Women’s BB: $4.43M / $10.47M (-$6.04M)
Others: $4.20M / $22.73M (-$18.53M)

Source: Sportico

based on this, the smartest thing to do is cut "OTHERS"...it's the biggest loss item

 

[Chuck]

based on this, the smartest thing to do is cut "OTHERS"...it's the biggest loss item

I'm not sure if you were serious or not, but in case you were, you can't cut "Others". First, to be a Division I member, FBS schools must sponsor a minimum of 16 sports (14 for FCS). Also, you certainly need to have a certain number of sports if you want any chance of joining another conference. Finally, Title IX would require additional women's teams to balance out the football scholarships.

What a stressful process picking schools with my kids was. I'll admit that UConn's budget woes, small endowment and questionable conference future made me more hesitant to really push for it.

 

[gsmooth]

These aren’t apples to apples here, as it’s comparing revenue to profit.. all UConn sports programs lose money:

Revenue / Expenses
Football: $6.01M / $20.07M (-$14.06M)
Men’s BB: $10.63M / $13.89M (-$3.26M)
Women’s BB: $4.43M / $10.47M (-$6.04M)
Others: $4.20M / $22.73M (-$18.53M)

Source: Sportico

I clicked on your source and your numbers are correct according to this source. However, I saw this source on some other thread within the BoneYard (Rankings | Highest grossing college sports programs - Most revenue college sports | Sports | Basketball) and it says the total revenue is $32.57M which is much larger than the $10.63.

Maybe I am missing something here, but can you or someone explain the huge difference between these sources? Do they use different methodologies in considering what is revenue and how it's calculated?

 

[FearThePups]

Suggest you read the Conference Realignment board.

I will, thanks.

 

[FearThePups]

Win

Then tell me how we win in football. I have been waiting 60 years for this university to have a respectable football program. I’m still waiting. Yes, entry into a P4 would solve many financial problems but even with 2 elite basketball programs we will never get a whiff of a P4 due to the football. Someone needs to tell me how that’s going to happen. Someone, Anyone, Bueller, Bueller?

 

[FearThePups]

We love our women’s team
almost as much as we love our men’s . However from zn objective business
prospective. Just pretend they‘re three different productd you produce.
X is a great product but in a market that’s limited
Y another great product with a larger market but also limited
Z is in the huge market however the quality of our product has restricted our potential market share
if I were a consulting firm hired by a company concerned with ROI , increasing the quality of Z would be a top priority.

X. Men’s basketball
Y. Women’s basketball
Z Footbzll

Agreed but somebody tell me how we do this? No one has an answer.

 

[FearThePups]

So we should jeopardize our basketball team’s success by having our teams travel all over the country.. have to recruit players for a southern conference while we are a north east school.. and to top it off..play our conference championship in Kansas… for what?.. more money.. we might have the greatest men’s basketball team in the history of college basketball now.. why take the chance and throw it a way

That’s been my entire point during this entire thread. We all agree we need a respectable, not even a top 25 football program. We wish cast and beat the drum of utter futility thinking UConn football will be something more than embarrassing. It’s not happening. The lack of football money hasn’t hurt us in winning titles in other sports. Don’t kill the golden goose. Believe me, I am the first one that would be stoked if UConn football was competitive, but it’s not at all. I can’t even watch the games anymore.

 

[Waquoit]

I admit I had hope for Susan Herbst. I knew a guy in an overpaid, unnecessary job at UConn. He hated Herbst and was whining about all the "good" people leaving. It didn't seem to take, though. Way too much administration that will never get cut. That's why I stopped worrying about it.

 

[NJHusky]

I'm not sure if you were serious or not, but in case you were, you can't cut "Others". First, to be a Division I member, FBS schools must sponsor a minimum of 16 sports (14 for FCS). Also, you certainly need to have a certain number of sports if you want any chance of joining another conference. Finally, Title IX would require additional women's teams to balance out the football scholarships.

What a stressful process picking schools with my kids was. I'll admit that UConn's budget woes, small endowment and questionable conference future made me more hesitant to really push for it.

All good points. Should have used a sarcasm emoji

 

[AZHuskiePop]

wish the best for the huskies this upcoming season.

i enjoy watching fcs football occasionally, it’s a more nostalgic feel of 18-22 year olds that i know are playing football for the right reasons. it’s a stark difference from the power conference football i watch cincinnati play.

hope ill be able to catch a game! just need to reactive my facebook account!!

To guys on the board who constantly put down the AAC
All I have to do is remind them that a good AAC team won the Big 12
and two other mediocre to poor AAC teams
were even somewhat competitive, well at least not too embarrassing in what was allegedly thee power basketball conference.

 

[CJasmer]

Does anybody have the terms of the new Bug East contract with Fox? What is the new amount?

 

[CJasmer]

Does anybody have the terms of the new Bug East contract with Fox? What is the new amount?

Sorry typo. Meant “Big East”

 

[MJ1]

Sorry typo. Meant “Big East”

Not released yet, still working on final details with 4th partner CBS.

 

[RedStickHusky]

Cute article, but I don’t think the guy is real knowledgeable

I am down for savvy and exciting though.

 

[3rdbass]

Then tell me how we win in football. I have been waiting 60 years for this university to have a respectable football program. I’m still waiting. Yes, entry into a P4 would solve many financial problems but even with 2 elite basketball programs we will never get a whiff of a P4 due to the football. Someone needs to tell me how that’s going to happen. Someone, Anyone, Bueller, Bueller?

We had decent Football teams during the Edsall first go around. We won or shared 2 big east football titles. I think those were some pretty decent teams. Of course once Edsall left it all fell apart but to say that football wasn't decent for a few years is wrong.

 

[MTHusky]

Sorry typo. Meant “Big East”

"Does anybody have the terms of the new Bug East contract with Fox? What is the new amount?"

How dare you, trying to bring the conversation back to the original poster's question?

 

[FearThePups]

We had decent Football teams during the Edsall first go around. We won or shared 2 big east football titles. I think those were some pretty decent teams. Of course once Edsall left it all fell apart but to say that football wasn't decent for a few years is wrong.

That period of time was a mere blip on the radar screen. Look at the total history of the program, sub .500 win/loss record. Agreed the few early Edsall years were promising but like most college sports, once the good coach left, the program reverts back to mediocrity.