Could the budget shortfall affect athletics?

[cellocgg]

I've been seeing news articles and also letters from the UConn president about how UConn is in trouble with a budget shortfall. Despite the implications for education, will this have any bearing on athletics? I would hate to see the school lose the ability to compete on a national level (all sports but basketball especially) because of a lack of funding, especially in the NIL era and the eventual P2 breakoff from the NCAA. How bad is the situation really? I know a few other public Unis are experiencing something similar. I can't imagine our current situation is very sustainable.


I was also sad to see UConn not get a Big 12 bid this past summer. Seems like the school could use the massive revenue boost and exposure, plus we've shown we can compete like a P5 in sports and also revenue generated, which is higher - if not the highest of any "G5." Would the P5 be a viable solution to our budget woes and if so, what's our path to get there?

 

[bendm]

Isn’t there a budget shortfall every year? That’s what state taxes are for. Budget also has nothing to do with NIL and There’s no more P5 it’s a P4.

 

[businesslawyer]

I've been seeing news articles and also letters from the UConn president about how UConn is in trouble with a budget shortfall. Despite the implications for education, will this have any bearing on athletics? I would hate to see the school lose the ability to compete on a national level (all sports but basketball especially) because of a lack of funding, especially in the NIL era and the eventual P2 breakoff from the NCAA. How bad is the situation really? I know a few other public Unis are experiencing something similar. I can't imagine our current situation is very sustainable.


I was also sad to see UConn not get a Big 12 bid this past summer. Seems like the school could use the massive revenue boost and exposure, plus we've shown we can compete like a P5 in sports and also revenue generated, which is higher - if not the highest of any "G5." Would the P5 be a viable solution to our budget woes and if so, what's our path to get there?

P4 revenue would quite obviously be huge for the athletic department’s budget. It is not material to the overall financial health of the university.

 

[JMick]

I've been seeing news articles and also letters from the UConn president about how UConn is in trouble with a budget shortfall. Despite the implications for education, will this have any bearing on athletics? I would hate to see the school lose the ability to compete on a national level (all sports but basketball especially) because of a lack of funding, especially in the NIL era and the eventual P2 breakoff from the NCAA. How bad is the situation really? I know a few other public Unis are experiencing something similar. I can't imagine our current situation is very sustainable.


I was also sad to see UConn not get a Big 12 bid this past summer. Seems like the school could use the massive revenue boost and exposure, plus we've shown we can compete like a P5 in sports and also revenue generated, which is higher - if not the highest of any "G5." Would the P5 be a viable solution to our budget woes and if so, what's our path to get there?

First time? This is a normal thing for UConn

 

[cellocgg]

First time? This is a normal thing for UConn

You would be right, it is

 

[UCTitleTown]

Didn't the Governor just cut the state income tax effective January 1st?

 

[AdamaNation]

I've been seeing news articles and also letters from the UConn president about how UConn is in trouble with a budget shortfall. Despite the implications for education, will this have any bearing on athletics? I would hate to see the school lose the ability to compete on a national level (all sports but basketball especially) because of a lack of funding, especially in the NIL era and the eventual P2 breakoff from the NCAA. How bad is the situation really? I know a few other public Unis are experiencing something similar. I can't imagine our current situation is very sustainable.


I was also sad to see UConn not get a Big 12 bid this past summer. Seems like the school could use the massive revenue boost and exposure, plus we've shown we can compete like a P5 in sports and also revenue generated, which is higher - if not the highest of any "G5." Would the P5 be a viable solution to our budget woes and if so, what's our path to get there?

I get the big 12 allure but does anyone remember the travel we dealt with in the aac? Pass.

 

[bendm]

Didn't the Governor just cut the state income tax effective January 1st?

Yup and by the exact amount UConn needed to keep paying Hurley, the staff, 5* recruits and for the NIL slush fund. UConn’s men’s basketball is officially bankrupt. Season canceled effective immediately. Liquidation sale on all basketballs and water bottles tomorrow.

 

[cellocgg]

I get the big 12 allure but does anyone remember the travel we dealt with in the aac? Pass.

I get that but I really would like to see the school in a conference with large, big-name schools it's own size, not a bunch of small private catholics. Especially if we'd be getting 10x the media revenue

 

[willie99]

Didn't the Governor just cut the state income tax effective January 1st?

Not for everyone

They are fighting to keep more retirees here, but they can't control the weather (no matter what they may think)

 

[navery12]

I get the big 12 allure but does anyone remember the travel we dealt with in the aac? Pass.

Yeah, the travel was not the issue there. It was the fact that we were playing South Topeka Community College when we did travel

 

[Gburyhusky]

For those just joining, here is the double secret formula that is not changing anytime soon: (1) Basketball schedules 15 events in XL every season, to the benefit of the State, City of Hartford, and local businesses downtown; (2) In consideration, State funds athletics deficit and, most importantly, allows the university to spend on basketball at a level which allows us to remain at the top of the sport nationally; (3) repeat annually. It's not a difficult concept, and is easily sustainable even without football conference tv revenue.

 

[FearThePups]

Yup and by the exact amount UConn needed to keep paying Hurley, the staff, 5* recruits and for the NIL slush fund. UConn’s men’s basketball is officially bankrupt. Season canceled effective immediately. Liquidation sale on all basketballs and water bottles tomorrow.

The rest of our entire athletic budget could be supported by the Big East revenue by simply dumping the $30M per year football program. What’s hard about that?

 

[FearThePups]

I get that but I really would like to see the school in a conference with large, big-name schools it's own size, not a bunch of small private catholics. Especially if we'd be getting 10x the media revenue

We could compete in any P4 conference in all sports with the exception of football. Your point is circular, meaning you hope our entire athletic programs depart for greener pastures, when all our other sports aren't on life support and do well. So your suggestion is to sacrifice all other sports for the sake of football? That’s foolish. I know folks like to say travel for the away football games is 6 games, but travel to the Midwest for half of all other sports doesn’t come for free. No thank you.

 

[FearThePups]

For those just joining, here is the double secret formula that is not changing anytime soon: (1) Basketball schedules 15 events in XL every season, to the benefit of the State, City of Hartford, and local businesses downtown; (2) In consideration, State funds athletics deficit and, most importantly, allows the university to spend on basketball at a level which allows us to remain at the top of the sport nationally; (3) repeat annually. It's not a difficult concept, and is easily sustainable even without football conference tv revenue.

Couldn’t agree or state it better.

 

[Fishy]

So much whistling past the graveyard here.

Yes, the budget shortfall will be problematic for athletics. Bigger schools with much healthier revenue streams are already suffering as a result of cuts to the overall school budgets. We will not be magically exempt from the trend.

No, the Big East revenue stream will not be sufficient to carry the athletic depart in any fashion going forward. Coming legislation will add an eight-figure charge to an athletic department that has been previously instructed to cut eight-figures from their overall budget.

Our revenue stream has been flat for decades. It might actually decrease in the coming years just as expenses are set to go hockey stick.

 

[upstater]

For those just joining, here is the double secret formula that is not changing anytime soon: (1) Basketball schedules 15 events in XL every season, to the benefit of the State, City of Hartford, and local businesses downtown; (2) In consideration, State funds athletics deficit and, most importantly, allows the university to spend on basketball at a level which allows us to remain at the top of the sport nationally; (3) repeat annually. It's not a difficult concept, and is easily sustainable even without football conference tv revenue.

The UConn President doesn't think this is the trade since they take an annual loss that hits the coffers to the tune of $40m, and since the state is cutting its subsidy, and since the state in general is in the lowest quintile for state funding of its university.

You don't often hear University presidents squawk at politicians the way she did. She could very well be naive. But people who draw $1m salaries in that position are hardly ever known to chirp at the powers that be, not when they're making $1m for the first time in their lives.

 

[JohnFSilver]

I've been seeing news articles and also letters from the UConn president about how UConn is in trouble with a budget shortfall. Despite the implications for education, will this have any bearing on athletics? I would hate to see the school lose the ability to compete on a national level (all sports but basketball especially) because of a lack of funding, especially in the NIL era and the eventual P2 breakoff from the NCAA. How bad is the situation really? I know a few other public Unis are experiencing something similar. I can't imagine our current situation is very sustainable.


I was also sad to see UConn not get a Big 12 bid this past summer. Seems like the school could use the massive revenue boost and exposure, plus we've shown we can compete like a P5 in sports and also revenue generated, which is higher - if not the highest of any "G5." Would the P5 be a viable solution to our budget woes and if so, what's our path to get there?

Of course it will have an effect.

How? Administrative hiring, other operational costs, they might let roles go unfilled and they may say no to things for athletes. But, i would expect the funding of the teams to be maintained, with an emphasis on cost for things like travel, food, and hotel caliber for the operations director.

 

[cellocgg]

We could compete in any P4 conference in all sports with the exception of football. Your point is circular, meaning you hope our entire athletic programs depart for greener pastures, when all our other sports aren't on life support and do well. So your suggestion is to sacrifice all other sports for the sake of football? That’s foolish. I know folks like to say travel for the away football games is 6 games, but travel to the Midwest for half of all other sports doesn’t come for free. No thank you.

How is that sacrificing all other sports? The P(4)5 are usually top in the rankings for every sport, Also I'm assuming the huge revenue boost will aid in travel expenses? I mean that's what the power schools have been doing

 

[FearThePups]

How is that sacrificing all other sports? The P(4)5 are usually top in the rankings for every sport, Also I'm assuming the huge revenue boost will aid in travel expenses? I mean that's what the power schools have been doing

Ask the UConn athletes if they signed up for travel miles at the sake of revenue dollars. Perhaps it is lost on you that No one, absolutely no one from a power conference wants our football team. Ask Syracuse, BC, Pitt, WV, and whomever I forgot that left for greener pastures. How many national championships? It’s not always about the money if we jettison a failing football program that sucks up our athletic budget and returns nothing. Do you enjoy being a midget level football team when we play Tennessee, Michigan, hell even Duke? Great recruiting tool. I am no glutton for punishment.

 

[FearThePups]

Ask the UConn athletes if they signed up for travel miles at the sake of revenue dollars. Perhaps it is lost on you that No one, absolutely no one from a power conference wants our football team. Ask Syracuse, BC, Pitt, WV, and whomever I forgot that left for greener pastures. How many national championships? It’s not always about the money if we jettison a failing football program that sucks up our athletic budget and returns nothing. Do you enjoy being a midget level football team when we play Tennessee, Michigan, hell even Duke? Great recruiting tool. I am no glutton for punishment.

I might also add, where is the money coming from that would be required to drastically upgrade the Rent or preferably build an on campus stadium like all these schools already have that you want to compete against?

 

[John]

The rest of our entire athletic budget could be supported by the Big East revenue by simply dumping the $30M per year football program. What’s hard about that?

Put us on the level of Providence and Seton Hall, no thanks.

 

[huskymedic]

The rest of our entire athletic budget could be supported by the Big East revenue by simply dumping the $30M per year football program. What’s hard about that?

What's hard about that is the Big East media contract revenue doesn't even cover the cost of the MBB coaching staff let alone the rest of the athletic department operating budget.

 

[FearThePups]

What's hard about that is the Big East media contract revenue doesn't even cover the cost of the MBB coaching staff let alone the rest of the athletic department operating budget.

So your answer is to go even further into debt every year with the football team. Tell me how that makes any sense? Who enjoys watching a non competitive bottom feeder every game for years upon years. You really think we have any big time college atmosphere playing in East Hartford. I’ve lived in Michigan and Wisconsin and those schools don’t play on land that used to be an aircraft strip. They play home games on campus.

 

[JMick]

So your answer is to go even further into debt every year with the football team. Tell me how that makes any sense? Who enjoys watching a non competitive bottom feeder every game for years upon years. You really think we have any big time college atmosphere playing in East Hartford. I’ve lived in Michigan and Wisconsin and those schools don’t play on land that used to be an aircraft strip. They play home games on campus.

It's worth trying until the door officially closes. I think we're almost there but it's not totally over yet