Football Finances

[HiltonSouth]

@ChrisMWilliams wanted content ideas and I'm not sure if this has been talked about yet.

I'm curious about the different financial scenarios regarding football this fall. I know it makes up a large majority of the athletic department. I'm more hopeful today, than I was yesterday about having a possible football season this fall with all the support from the players, coaches, governors, President, etc.

I know JP talked about the "Ice Age" back in the Spring and how if we didn't have football this fall, that it would take about $40-$50million out of the Athletic Department's $85million budget. Obviously, if we have football this fall and allow the 30k fan capacity, that will significantly reduce that loss. Honestly, I don't see that happening. What I do see is a scenerio where two teams play in an empty stadium. To me, that is the most realistic shot of having football in the fall.

My question is, if there are no fans in the stands, then how much revenue can the football team generate by playing this fall? Would it just be ad revenue from TV and radio? Obviously still sponsorships? Any other additional revenue and would it still create the massive shortfall vs not even having football in the Fall?

 

[knowlesjam]

The big piece of the pie, obviously, is the $41M from TV that would come in even if there are 0 fans in the stands. The loss, if there are home games, and no fans, is about $2.5M per game. So figure about $15M loss total if no fans. If half fans...trim the loss to $7.5M or so. Not great, but better than the $41M cliff if there are zero games.

 

[kcbob79clone]

@ChrisMWilliams wanted content ideas and I'm not sure if this has been talked about yet.

I'm curious about the different financial scenarios regarding football this fall. I know it makes up a large majority of the athletic department. I'm more hopeful today, than I was yesterday about having a possible football season this fall with all the support from the players, coaches, governors, President, etc.

I know JP talked about the "Ice Age" back in the Spring and how if we didn't have football this fall, that it would take about $40-$50million out of the Athletic Department's $85million budget. Obviously, if we have football this fall and allow the 30k fan capacity, that will significantly reduce that loss. Honestly, I don't see that happening. What I do see is a scenerio where two teams play in an empty stadium. To me, that is the most realistic shot of having football in the fall.

My question is, if there are no fans in the stands, then how much revenue can the football team generate by playing this fall? Would it just be ad revenue from TV and radio? Obviously still sponsorships? Any other additional revenue and would it still create the massive shortfall vs not even having football in the Fall?

Think this a good idea for Part 1 of the series for the athletic department. Part 2 should deal with the impact cancellation of football and other fall sports on the overall university budget. How can you have hundreds of thousands of students on campuses if you can't play football. Well offline courses of course. Two problems with that; if worried about safety so many students in a small area outside of the classrooms doesn't seem wise - send them home.

2nd problem is that if courses are offline (and face it not all courses can be offline) then the parents may soon realize that they are vastly overpaying and mark my words there will be a push to get refunds and reductions in tuition. So not only can the athletic department see a financial hit but there is a potential for a financial hit to the university as well.

 

[BCClone]

Think this a good idea for Part 1 of the series for the athletic department. Part 2 should deal with the impact cancellation of football and other fall sports on the overall university budget. How can you have hundreds of thousands of students on campuses if you can't play football. Well offline courses of course. Two problems with that; if worried about safety so many students in a small area outside of the classrooms doesn't seem wise - send them home.

2nd problem is that if courses are offline (and face it not all courses can be offline) then the parents may soon realize that they are vastly overpaying and mark my words there will be a push to get refunds and reductions in tuition. So not only can the athletic department see a financial hit but there is a potential for a financial hit to the university as well.

Jucos will take some from ISU if online.

 

[HiltonSouth]

The big piece of the pie, obviously, is the $41M from TV that would come in even if there are 0 fans in the stands. The loss, if there are home games, and no fans, is about $2.5M per game. So figure about $15M loss total if no fans. If half fans...trim the loss to $7.5M or so. Not great, but better than the $41M cliff if there are zero games.

If that's the case, then there sure as hell better be football in the Fall and no fans in the stands. This feels like the simple solution especially with the small number of players testing positive for Covid out of the hundreds of players tested.