Top 20 Programs by Revenue in WCBB

[DefenseBB]

While reading the VolNation Mizzou game thread, it was mentioned the Lady Vols lost $1.9 million in 2016-17 Fiscal year. It got me curious about revenue (and net profit) for WCBB and I found this link on Revenue:
Top 20 women's college basketball programs by revenue

What surprised me was how does Stanford generate that kind of money ($21MM) with so little attendance (3,160 in ‘16-17) that represents a whopping 17% of ALL Stanford Cardinal Revenue. UConn is #2 at $9 mil and 11% of all Husky Revenue. Next surprising is that Vanderbilt was #5! Noticeably absent is South Carolina who averaged 12,700 so they must really give those tix away and not have any TV Revenue.

There is no discussion or explanation on how the Revenue is determined but I suspect, tix sales, tv, tournament % from each conference and maybe donations.

Tennessee being down at #11 also surprised me, considering their attendance is still good at 9,184 in ‘16-17 and their storied success.

Thoughts?

 

[oldude]

I suspect a percentage of revenue comes from earmarked alumni donations, which is why Stanford leads the pack. For instance, Stanford goes to great lengths to fill all 15 WBB scholarships on its roster because each of the scholarships is endowed by various alumni. I believe that the HC’s salary and perhaps her assistants’ salaries are also endowed.

 

[Boreifs]

Revenue doesn’t mean anything without Expenses.

 

[triaddukefan]

There are some schools that you wouldnt expect to be in the top 20. TCU, Pitt, Vandy, Miami, Temple

 

[PoppaBear]

And one that is absent that surprises me...Texas

 

[Vowelguy]

The presence of those private schools makes me think that "revenue" includes donations.

 

[hardcorehusky]

I think it is all about accounting. How do you account for TV revenue splits? Most programs don't have a TV contract just for women's basketball. Does women's basketball have revenue shares like men's basketball? Stanford is a huge Olympic sport and women's sport school. They will account dollars to it to prove that point.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I agree; it's all about accounting. Money can be allocated in many different ways.

 

[DefenseBB]

And one that is absent that surprises me...Texas

If I may ask, why does that surprise you? I mean Texas hadn’t been good for awhile, not producing any WNBA players or generating any real attendance to get revenue.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I suspect the comments regarding Stanford to be correct. And yes, Tara and IIRC at least one assistant are endowed, as well as the players.

Endowed coaches positions are not "common" - although she isn't the only one, Yale comes to mind immediately as another. Endowed player scholarships is the goal of almost every university - heck, the long departed from Rutgers Bob Mulcahey made it a priority fund raising at one point during his tenure. Although I don't think there was a lot of success.

 

[Rich]

Stanford’s endowment is sufficiently large as to allow for purchase of the entire PAC-12 Network and all associated media rights.

I bet if Yale and Harvard teamed up with some private equity funds they could take out a few if not all of the Power 5.

 

[Ex Nutmegger]

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the lack of an N and a D on that list.

What am I missing?

 

[Ex Nutmegger]

I’m thinking(always dangerous) that ND just doesn’t report that breakdown,

Maybe Texas also?

 

[CajunHusky]

I suspect a percentage of revenue comes from earmarked alumni donations, which is why Stanford leads the pack. For instance, Stanford goes to great lengths to fill all 15 WBB scholarships on its roster because each of the scholarships is endowed by various alumni. I believe that the HC’s salary and perhaps her assistants’ salaries are also endowed.

Miller: Breaking down financial situation of Stanford’s athletic department
Stanford’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (DAPER) does not rely on any student or institutional support to cover its expenses. DAPER does not charge Stanford students an athletics fee.....but the allocation that DAPER receives from the university ($12.69 million in 2013-14) is used to cover non-varsity athletics-related costs, including the P.E., Recreation and Wellness programs (i.e. intramural teams, gym upkeep and maintenance and wellness courses).
Stanford does not charge its students to attend regular-season home events. [Stanford] athletics department is essentially self-sufficient and dictate its own spending policies.
Stanford’s DAPER actually paid the university over $20 million in the 2014-15 fiscal year. DAPER awarded $20,591,001 in athletics-related student aid, which covers the tuition and fees, room and board and required textbooks for those athletes on scholarship. Even if we assume that all or a portion of the university’s $12.69 million allocation to DAPER in 2013-14 went to cover varsity athletics-related costs (which it doesn’t), the university still received a healthy 62.6 percent return on its investment.
DAPER receives funding from a variety of revenue sources: private giving accounted for $49.63 million (42.5 percent) of the department’s $116.52 million 2013-14 revenues. Gate revenues (ticket sales) totaled $16.8 million (14.4 percent), media payouts were $17.5 million (15 percent) and NCAA/Pac-12 disbursements came to $4.77 million (4 percent).
In short, DAPER is a unique but financially healthy enterprise and will likely continue to be so, provided its endowment, which is valued somewhere between $400-500 million and releases 5.5 percent per annum, remains strong. DAPER’s varsity athletics unit should, theoretically, never have to receive direct institutional support or student fees to cover its costs.

 

[CajunHusky]

I’m thinking(always dangerous) that ND just doesn’t report that breakdown,

Maybe Texas also?

Notre Dame's 3 year average for WBB Revenue is $1.4 million. Texas is 1.1 million

 

[EricLA]

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the lack of an N and a D on that list.

What am I missing?

A Leprechaun?

 

[j66kicker]

I suspect the comments regarding Stanford to be correct. And yes, Tara and IIRC at least one assistant are endowed, as well as the players.

Endowed coaches positions are not "common" - although she isn't the only one, Yale comes to mind immediately as another. Endowed player scholarships is the goal of almost every university - heck, the long departed from Rutgers Bob Mulcahey made it a priority fund raising at one point during his tenure. Although I don't think there was a lot of success.

Muffet's coaching position became the first endowed coaching position at ND in 2015. Notre Dame gets $5M coaching endowment

 

[BroadwayVa]

I suspect a percentage of revenue comes from earmarked alumni donations, which is why Stanford leads the pack. For instance, Stanford goes to great lengths to fill all 15 WBB scholarships on its roster because each of the scholarships is endowed by various alumni. I believe that the HC’s salary and perhaps her assistants’ salaries are also endowed.

My guess is that you are right for Stanford and with UC it is TV along with Alums bringing in the extra bucks.

 

[DefenseBB]

Upon reading this, I am surprised that the UConn coaching positions are endowed yet, does anyone know if there has been any discussion about this?

 

[Charliebball]

Upon reading this, I am surprised that the UConn coaching positions are endowed yet, does anyone know if there has been any discussion about this?

considering the reverence with which the UConn coaching staff is held here I'm surprised the BY doesn't offer to endow an assistant coach.......................I have a feeling Jasmine Lister would be the most economical choice...................

 

[cookie447]

Hello, where is South Carolina? They basically sell out every game! Hello?!

 

[DefenseBB]

Hello, where is South Carolina? They basically sell out every game! Hello?!

They sort of sell out every game-tickets are heavily discounted and/or given away. They are building a following and with more players going into the WNBA, maybe their donations will up the revenue.

 

[Jbigfan]

Hello, where is South Carolina? They basically sell out every game! Hello?!

I attended the FFour in Tampa in 2014(?) and So Car lost in semi. On championship night, we moved down into the SC seating section & sat next to a very pleasant SC fan. She advised us that we were sitting in what was the SC’s Athletic Dir seats, but he was not attending the championship game between CT &ND. So we sat in his seats and in conversing with the nice lady, we were told that a family of five can buy season tickets to SC home games for $50 to $60. That’s season tickets! I buy 1 Uconn game ticket $25-30.
It’s obvious why they sell out!!

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I attended the FFour in Tampa in 2014(?) and So Car lost in semi. On championship night, we moved down into the SC seating section & sat next to a very pleasant SC fan. She advised us that we were sitting in what was the SC’s Athletic Dir seats, but he was not attending the championship game between CT &ND. So we sat in his seats and in conversing with the nice lady, we were told that a family of five can buy season tickets to SC home games for $50 to $60. That’s season tickets! I buy 1 Uconn game ticket $25-30.
It’s obvious why they sell out!!

Several years ago you could buy 4 GA season tickets for $100; they're more now. My season tickets are about $270 each, I think. Most of our revenue comes from the Gamecock Club, which isn't specific to any particular sport and many seats require GCC memberships before being able to purchase.

 

[Jaybird65]

Upon reading this, I am surprised that the UConn coaching positions are endowed yet, does anyone know if there has been any discussion about this?

It takes a deep pockets donor or combination of donors stepping up with a desire to do this. Likely that hasn’t happened yet.