"Doomsday" scenario for New Big East--likeliness?

[WarriorDoc]

I work with a couple UConn fans who I regularly talk basketball with.  I assume to make themselves feel better over the C7 leaving, they're spewing this doomsday scenario that goes something like this:

With conference realignment as a result of football comes higher TV money.  With more TV money, better basketball facilities, coaches, and henceforth, recruits.  Therefore, anyone that isn't the top 4/5 football conference has zero chance at sustaining any consistent long-term success.

Then again, we just saw Butler take down Indiana, and we know what the basketball budgets must compare like there.

What's the likeliness of this scenario--that without the huge TV money sums, we end up having no chance competing with basketball teams as lowly as Miss St, Wake Forest, Rutgers, or Purdue for the sole reason of having such significant revenue compared to us.

[chren21]

I think they underestimate the power of being able to sell the fact that it is basketball only.  Recruits will eat that up.

[AirPunches]

0% chance

[Tugg Speedman]

Why is this a new argument?  I heard this argument against schools like MU when I attended in the early 1980s.

Besides. you don't need a lot of facilities for basketball only.  And if you share an arena with an NBA team, you don't even have to worry about that.

[Boozemon Barro]

Let's just hope they don't start publicly paying players.

[lab_warrior]

The only doomsday scenario that is happening right now, is happening in Storrs, CT.  Get your co-workers some kleenex, and some cheese to go with their whine.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Let's just hope they don't start publicly paying players.

Let's hope they do -- that will really turn the tables on the cost to get that football money.

[chapman]

So they need to use the money football generates not be stay competitive in football but on their basketball programs, despite in-conference competition they will all be better than the best of the basketball-only schools, outspend and overcome tradition, basketball-only focus, NCAA tournament payouts, and mostly public university budget scrutiny.  Good luck.

[Pakuni]

The problem with said scenario is that many football programs - UConn among them - barely break even on their own revenues, or don't break even at all. The thought that big-time football money will provide other programs the funding to flourish is for the most part a myth. Football revenues by and large go back into football.

Take UConn, for example. According to data it provided to the Dept. of Education, the football program brought in $17.5 million in revenues in 2010. Its expenses were $22.1 million. Boston College made $20.5 million, but spent more than $22 million.

There are no doubt programs making big money, but they tend to be the elite of a few power conferences (Bama, Auburn, USC, , Penn State, Nebraska) but in many of those instances, football profits have not translated to basketball success. Because those profits typically are invested back into football, not other programs.

[honkytonk]

I think they underestimate the power of being able to sell the fact that it is basketball only.  Recruits will eat that up.

I'd say playing in the Big East was a great selling point to recruits since we have been in the conference. However, recruits didnt "eat that up" for the likes of DePaul, SJU, SHU, USF and Prov. Im not sure this new conference is going to help them. The ACC now has the most leverage in that regard.

[honkytonk]

The problem with said scenario is that many football programs - UConn among them - barely break even on their own revenues, or don't break even at all. The thought that big-time football money will provide other programs the funding to flourish is for the most part a myth. Football revenues by and large go back into football.

Take UConn, for example. According to data it provided to the Dept. of Education, the football program brought in $17.5 million in revenues in 2010. Its expenses were $22.1 million. Boston College made $20.5 million, but spent more than $22 million.

There are no doubt programs making big money, but they tend to be the elite of a few power conferences (Bama, Auburn, USC, , Penn State, Nebraska) but in many of those instances, football profits have not translated to basketball success. Because those profits typically are invested back into football, not other programs.

Why do people constantly cite the Dept of Education numbers (aside from the fact that those are the only numbers out there to use)? How do you know every single athletic department recognizes revenues and expenses the same way? I mean...you dont think AT&T utilizes the exact same accounting principles as Verizon do you? Afterall, their product portfolios are very similar.

From what I understand about those numbers, universities are required to report them yet there are no guidelines with regard to accounting. On top of that, Im not even sure private schools are required to report. And even if they are required, I wouldnt put any emphasis on their numbers.

[Pakuni]

Why do people constantly cite the Dept of Education numbers (aside from the fact that those are the only numbers out there to use)? How do you know every single athletic department recognizes revenues and expenses the same way? I mean...you dont think AT&T utilizes the exact same accounting principles as Verizon do you? Afterall, their product portfolios are very similar.

From what I understand about those numbers, universities are required to report them yet there are no guidelines with regard to accounting. On top of that, Im not even sure private schools are required to report. And even if they are required, I wouldnt put any emphasis on their numbers.

All schools that receive federal money are required to report.  So, maybe not Bob Jones University, but pretty much every school that matters, including the private schools.

And every school answers the same survey regarding expenses and revenues ... so yeah, there are guidelines as to what must be reported and how.

You could have looked this stuff up before your post, you know.

[77ncaachamps]

Then again, we just saw Butler take down Indiana, and we know what the basketball budgets must compare like there.

Stevens to IU! lol

[honkytonk]

All schools that receive federal money are required to report.  So, maybe not Bob Jones University, but pretty much every school that matters, including the private schools.

And every school answers the same survey regarding expenses and revenues ... so yeah, there are guidelines as to what must be reported and how.

You could have looked this stuff up before your post, you know.

So, all schools answer the same survey questions... Is each school answering those questions off of its own financial statements? Is so, those numbers could still very well be meaningless.