Mike Anthony: UConn athletics can recover with its own cuts and outside help

[huskymedic]

Mike Anthony: UConn athletics can recover with its own cuts and outside help

 

[Chin Diesel]

Not bad but he went fullchickensxhitt for not listing any sports to put on the chopping block.

He did a good job explaining the the accounting shell game WRT rent payments for facilities.

 

[noeynox]

Some of us have proposed cutting non revenue sports for years but for reason that bothers many here on the board. They also need to rework the concession and parking breakdowns etc with the rented venues.

 

[UCFBfan]

Good article but I can't see the state cutting rental fees on buildings who basically survive due to UConn sports.

Does the state own The Rent? If so, his argument that the costs need to be readjusted makes sense and wouldn't draw much attention from angry CT residents. Parking is privately owned so that is what it is.

The XL center is really a money pit on many levels. The hockey team does draw decent crowds there and obviously bball draws. However, if UConn isn't making a substantial amount of money, it's not worth it. Yes, people will complain about how remote Stores is. However, it's better than our current financial mess.

Finally, I can't see the state giving much money in a public way. There are way more pressing issues in this state. Any public money allocation will spark more outrage than good will.

In the end, this is a mess but I think cutting some non revenue sports and looking at changing rental fees or cuts from Tix and concessions, is a start

 

[huskymedic]

Does the state own The Rent? If so, his argument that the costs need to be readjusted makes sense and wouldn't draw much attention from angry CT residents. Parking is privately owned so that is what it is.

The State (OPM) owns the land around the stadium and it is bid-out/leased to Laz Parking under a management agreement.

 

[RSTuthill]

Not bad but he went fullchickensxhitt for not listing any sports to put on the chopping block.

He did a good job explaining the the accounting shell game WRT rent payments for facilities.

He implied that hockey should be eliminated by saying that both hockey programs have 38 scholarships costing millions. But what he failed to say was that half of those scholarships should be bookkept against FB because the women's D-1 hockey program was created to enable the FB program to move to 1-A and comply with Title 9.

 

[huskyrob1]

Not bad but he went fullchickensxhitt for not listing any sports to put on the chopping block.

He did a good job explaining the the accounting shell game WRT rent payments for facilities.

In addition to women's Lacrosse, they will also be looking at the non-revenue sports that have the greatest insurance liability costs, such men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's gymnastics. They will also look at rowing, women's ice hockey. I don't think UConn has any shooting teams for men or women, but for schools that do the insurance liability is astronomical.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

... they will also be looking at the non-revenue sports that have the greatest insurance liability costs, such men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's gymnastics..

The only relevant gymnastics are mathematical. No women’s gymnastics since maybe the early ‘80s. Men’s? Did it ever exist in Storrs?

 

[zmart]

No mention of cutting the huge bureaucracy that the athletic department has become. There are 186 people in the athletic department ( not counting coaches). Even at an average of $75,000 each ( including fringe benefits)
that comes to $14,000,000.

 

[RSTuthill]

No mention of cutting the huge bureaucracy that the athletic department has become. There are 186 people in the athletic department ( not counting coaches). Even at an average of $75,000 each ( including fringe benefits)
that comes to $14,000,000.

Hear! Hear! There is definitely bloat in that department, but some of it is driven by the insane environment in which we live as well as the necessity to comply with the NCAA in that environment.

 

[huskyrob1]

The only relevant gymnastics are mathematical. No women’s gymnastics since maybe the early ‘80s. Men’s? Did it ever exist in Storrs?

I didn't know, they were phased out. Wow

 

[zls44]

No mention of cutting the huge bureaucracy that the athletic department has become. There are 186 people in the athletic department ( not counting coaches). Even at an average of $75,000 each ( including fringe benefits)
that comes to $14,000,000.

Ctrl+F "associate" or "senior" or "assistant" in the staff directory, its truly remarkable.

 

[Dooley]

No mention of cutting the huge bureaucracy that the athletic department has become. There are 186 people in the athletic department ( not counting coaches). Even at an average of $75,000 each ( including fringe benefits)
that comes to $14,000,000.

I am guessing that when UConn cuts a few of its non-revenue sports, the AD volume will also be impacted. Won't need that many people to support a diminished amount of sports. I hope those folks will be able to land on their feet somewhere.

 

[HuskyDogArt]

Mike Anthony: UConn athletics can recover with its own cuts and outside help

I think that UConn should not cut anything. Not until 2025. If we then don't get into a P5, I would drop football. Yes, I'm a fierce supporter of Football, but if the next conference realignment happens without us...we should drop it.

 

[huskyrob1]

I think that UConn should not cut anything. Not until 2025. If we then don't get into a P5, I would drop football. Yes, I'm a fierce supporter of Football, but if the next conference realignment happens without us...we should drop it.

That's very short sighted and stupid thing to do, even without a P5 invite football has by far the most potential for badly needed revenue even in the AAC.

 

[RSTuthill]

That's very short sighted and stupid thing to do, even without a P5 invite football has by far the most potential for badly needed revenue even in the AAC.

NET revenue? I doubt it.

 

[huskyrob1]

NET revenue? I doubt it.

Yes, net revenue. If we drop to FCS, the school loses even more money, and if they drop football all together UConn becomes Gonzaga Northeast, cuts even more athletic teams, and academics would suffer too.

 

[RSTuthill]

Yes, net revenue. If we drop to FCS, the school loses even more money, and if they drop football all together UConn becomes Gonzaga Northeast, cuts even more athletic teams, and academics would suffer too.

Reasonable people may disagree. It is becoming increasingly clear that HCRE2.0 is not gonna pull off a resurrection of the FB program by 2021. I also think that it is becoming increasingly clear that UConn is never gonna get a P5 invite while they are stuck in the AAC which is a bad fit and in which they are incapable of competing anyhow because of that bad fit. A Catch 22 but it is what it is.

 

[huskyrob1]

It is becoming increasingly clear that HCRE2.0 is not gonna pull off a resurrection of the FB program by 2021.

Why? State your reasoning behind this look into your vision of the future, and what degree of a resurrection are you looking for? Also what's so important about 2021? Isn't 2023 the year everyone is pointing to for the next round of conference realignment?

 

[buddy]

Why? State your reasoning behind this look into your vision of the future, and what degree of a resurrection are you looking for? Also what's so important about 2021? Isn't 2023 the year everyone is pointing to for the next round of conference realignment?

We have had many disagreements in the past huskyrob1, and I do appreciate your optimism. But it seems like everyone says that rebuilding a football program from ashes will take a few years. I think the commenter believes that it will take longer than 2 years. Nonetheless, I am hoping that the new university president will have friends with very deep pockets and understands the role that having top level athletics in enhancing academic standing. Once UConn loses athletics, academics will follow. We have already seen a downgrade in the past year in academic standings. I can understand anyone's pessimism at this time.

 

[huskyrob1]

We have had many disagreements in the past huskyrob1, and I do appreciate your optimism. But it seems like everyone says that rebuilding a football program from ashes will take a few years. I think the commenter believes that it will take longer than 2 years. Nonetheless, I am hoping that the new university president will have friends with very deep pockets and understands the role that having top level athletics in enhancing academic standing. Once UConn loses athletics, academics will follow. We have already seen a downgrade in the past year in academic standings. I can understand anyone's pessimism at this time.

Thank you for your keen insight buddy.

 

[RSTuthill]

Why? State your reasoning behind this look into your vision of the future, and what degree of a resurrection are you looking for? Also what's so important about 2021? Isn't 2023 the year everyone is pointing to for the next round of conference realignment?

HCRE2.0's contract runs through 2021 and a resurrection of a program at the end of a five year effort means to me solidly above 0.500, not just barely touching 0.500. The first two years of his contract have basically been a bust. We will see, but this year's recruiting would have had to have been lights out to resurrect the program by the end of 2021. Marginally better than really bad I think is the consensus, but not lights out. Why, because we are the odd man out in the AAC, the ugly duckling, in a conference that is a bad fit. A Yankee in a mostly southern conference.

 

[huskyrob1]

HCRE2.0's contract runs through 2021 and a resurrection of a program at the end of a five year effort means to me solidly above 0.500, not just barely touching 0.500. The first two years of his contract have basically been a bust. We will see, but this year's recruiting would have had to have been lights out to resurrect the program by the end of 2021. Marginally better than really bad I think is the consensus, but not lights out. Why, because we are the odd man out in the AAC, the ugly duckling, in a conference that is a bad fit. A Yankee in a mostly southern conference.

Edsall was hired, two days short of 2017, he's got three more years on that 5 year contract, not two. So far, this years class has ten three star commits, and one who is really a four star (Dillon Harris). I'd say that's a damn good class in only his second year, and first full recruiting year.

 

[RSTuthill]

Edsall was hired, two days short of 2017, he's got three more years on that 5 year contract, not two. So far, this years class has ten three star commits, and one who is really a four star (Dillon Harris). I'd say that's a damn good class in only his second year, and first full recruiting year.

I think everyone on this board knows HCRE2.0 has three more years. He's had two years and the trend has been down not up. And the consensus view is that this class is not strong, near the bottom of the league, although maybe a little better than last year. Btw, this is his second full recruiting year.

 

[RSTuthill]

Edsall was hired, two days short of 2017, he's got three more years on that 5 year contract, not two. So far, this years class has ten three star commits, and one who is really a four star (Dillon Harris). I'd say that's a damn good class in only his second year, and first full recruiting year.

And I guess that you didn't see this at the time because you didn't post to it. Not sure where you are getting 10 three stars.

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