What will it take to play top opponents at night?

Versus Notre Dame putting Weiss at 3.3 million, 3 years ago? Saban is making a bit more than that his first year here, it's not the 4 million figure you see bantered about. Over the 8 year period, IT WILL average out to 32 million.

 

We agree, but are just looking at this from different angles I suspect. The differences I see, compared to what you are putting out there, is the amount of commercial revenue that's going to come into programs. Now, the paragraph quoted below mentions a 25 year span. That, I could agree with, but won't begin to speculate as to how they'll accomplish their goal.

Over the next decade or so I suspect, as it has for the last 5-6 decades, for the revenue (outside the normal tickets, etc) to continue being raised as it is. We'll see companies contribute a lot of money, but it won't fall under the "naming rights to the West side restroom facilities." (Unless that would be Yellow Wood, and I'd agree to that one in a heartbeat.)

Interesting NASCAR thought...would be a great game-day addition.

$50 mill over 5 years? If the program (as in entire Ath. program) is making the money to afford that, I see no problem with it.

You mention the higher ed budgets. One area, we haven't discussed here, is the amount of increase we've seen in Tuscaloosa on just that front. Nationally, (media wise, etc.) they don't tend to report those increases but use that line "it's taking away from the educational side." Facts are, Ath. Dept's that are successful tend to contribute millions to that side.

Just as example, and I'll take a team that hasn't seen the national spotlight, the enrollment for freshman at USC increased by over 20% just with the announcement of Spurrier as HC...as did grants, research projects, etc.

Bottom line with me, I understand it's a money business, and I see spending the money to lead that business as money well spent. Those who voice criticism for it usually have an agenda.

 

:dis:

 

I came close to mentioning that very fact earlier this morning. Considering the majority of the schools in the SEC already have agreements with XM Radio, etc, not to mention Yahoo...and, you'll find a lot of streaming videos available on school web sites, I can see the University's going to an "LSU channel," etc.

24 hour access...pay per view basis, own individual channel. I'd pay for it in a heart beat. That alone, would pull a lot of the commercial aspect/possibilities out of the picture to a degree...

 

This will certainly extract a new layer of revenue. The key in much of this is to capture a larger share of the consumers entertainment dollar. Crowd out competitors like professional sports, NASCAR, and movies, offer new products like this, and trump up the buy-in element (as in, you, Sports Fan, are part of us). Schools have a natural edge with this as people truly can be associated with these organizations in one way or another, unlike professional teams and the rest.

NASCAR and bowl games point to the future, though. Miss State would be a prime candidate for this route. It's really not too hard to mentally hear some future announcer chime in, "Up next, the Farmer's Mutual/Mississippi State Bulldogs versus the FedEx Florida Gators."

 

I don't know the exact figures, but I'll see if I can find out Monday...

UA has a web site that runs 120 a year/12 bucks a month. All proceeds go directly to the Ath. Dept. During the summer months, there isn't much of it worth the $$, but during camps in the spring and fall, and the sport seasons the interviews, coverage of halftimes and after game speeches, etc. make it very well worth the $. It a primary source for watching a lot of UA activities, like the LSU v Bama baseball game last night in streaming video.

When I think about that, considering a lot of people pay 20-30 bucks to watch one pay-per-view game, the revenue stream is almost uncalculatable. Would you rather watch ESPN on a Saturday night or watch your own University's broadcast team on LSU TV? Heck, a lot of the time I'll listen to the UA team announce the game while watching it on TV. (at least they know the players names, and how to pronouce them :hihi: )

I figure there are at least 10K that subscribe to the website...so, there's quite a lot of money sitting here just to be asked for...

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