About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use
Menu
Best Quotes
FREEDOM OF SPEECH? � �Hey, you suck.� � the in-their face lyrics of the 1972 hit "Rock and Roll, Part II," which has been played with zest and vigor at Maryland basketball and football games. The Maryland Sportsmanship Committee recently overturned its ban on use of the song at games. Meanwhile, football coach Ralph Friedgen has repeatedly expressed a dislike for the song, saying it is a form of taunting. � The (U. Maryland) Diamondback, 9-30-04
Guest Commentary
FAN PROFANITY ... Law professor Howard Wasserman, of Florida International University, provides a meticulous legal assessment of the expansive free speech rights in our society against the backdrop of escalating fan misbehavior at college athletics events. With freedom comes responsibility.
Who Am I?
native of Long Beach, California; coached 547 D1 men's basketball victories at two schools over 24 seasons; 3 30-plus win and 13 20-plus win seasons; 12 NCAA tournaments; career started at Coast Guard (asst. coach); was also asst. coach at Colorado St., The Citadel, Florida, Boise State and Montana; grad of Long Beach St.; wife: Sarah
Monthly Archives
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
Search

October 03, 2004

Non Sell Outs Hurt Big D1 Football Programs

FROM THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENTS of some beleaguered D-1A schools come troubling news about slipping profitability for their football programs. Syracuse University and the University of North Carolina have suffered attendance lags over the past few seasons, and are struggling to right their respective ships.

The UNC Tar Heels, accustomed to selling out their 60,000-seat Kenan Stadium, have not had a sell out since their opening game in 2003.

Consider the following:

� The Tar Heels were an unimpressive 2-10 in 2003.

� In 2003, 18,464 tickets went unsold over six games�worth over $530,000.

� UNC made $6.1 million from ticket revenue in 2003.

� This year, 19,233 tickets are unsold�worth over $540,000.


The pressure is most definitely on Tar Heels coach John Bunting to improve his team�s performance substantially. Thus would come more fans to the games. However, a 37-0 pasting at Kenan Stadium last week to Louisville bodes not well for UNC�s chances to recoup lost revenues.

More later . . . .

Meanwhile, in upstate New York, fans have been staying away in droves for the Syracuse University Orange (formerly Orangemen) football team.

Consider the following:

� This year only 32,893 tickets were sold or distributed for SU�s victory over Cincinnati at the Carrier Dome.

� The last time SU played Cincinnati at home (in 1998) the attendance was 47,251.

� The difference of 14,358 fans at an average ticket price of $26.25 means that SU took a hit of $376,898.

� The total athletic department budget is $22 million.

� Football generates by far the bulk of revenues for SU, and ticket sales comprise 60% of the total.

As is always the case for a program�s financial success, a winning team is a requisite starting point. And Syracuse, with a storied football legacy�Ernie Davis, Floyd Little anyone?�from years past, has struggled of late. Their record over the past two seasons has been 10-14.

In addition to a sub-par team, Syracuse is suffering from the departure of Miami and Virginia Tech from its schedule. Also, season-ticket prices were raised by 21%.

Large revenue shortfalls have afflicted dozens of football programs at the bottom half of the food chain. The yawning gap between the haves and the have-nots appears to be an inescapable byproduct of the arms race.

More later . . . .

(this 389 word excerpt�with accompanying commentary�was distilled from an 863 word article in the Syracuse Post-Standard of 9-29-04 and an 1035 word article from the Raleigh News Observer of 9-29-04)