My Opinion:

Yes, I think baseball can and will be a revenue sport in college primarily because of the networks and visitation fees. If the ACC gets a network launched as is being talked about all of the power leagues but the Big 12 will be able to monetize their programming. While I still think the calendar should be pushed back a month and start at the earliest mid-March for the sake of Northern teams, even the calendar may not stop the Northern teams from profitting if Southern and Western teams are making gobs of money.

Eventually if enough teams are making money, visitation fees may become a larger part of baseball. In football and basketball the visitors normally get a sizable fee if there is no return game, sometimes exceeding a million bucks in football. Obviously, when a sport does not produce enough revenue to cover its own costs one can't demand a visitation fee of any substance. Visitation fees in baseball would almost exclusively benefit cold weather teams and while the southern and western teams would still earn more the fees may be enough push some Northern teams in the P5 slightly into the black.

The Big Ten Network WILL broadcast more baseball games in future years. There's enough potential for the conference and network to pour more money, time and other resources. Too much financial windfall from CFP money not to.

There is also the tried and true method of scheduling H&H series. If UCSB traveled to Columbus for a February or March series, wouldn't Ohio State be willing to travel to Santa Barbara the next year? Or if you want to be a little more ambitious, same season H&H series would work too

(05-20-2015 02:04 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  I'm attempting JRsec's challenge.

We all know football and men's basketball are currently the only sports at most schools which turn a profit. Can baseball join them? Currently there are 301 D1 programs.

The consensus is that baseball is a major expense. I'd like to believe with ESPN broadcasting the entire NCAA Tournament on its networks or online - combined with the creation of the SEC, Pac-12 and Big Ten networks over the past five years or so - that one day baseball can become a money generator. Baseball is still considered a major professional sport; no reason it can't be labeled the same at the college ranks. Found this piece from a couple years back.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kai-sato/b...50606.html

This past season, ESPN set a record for airing 151 regular season games, meaning that more college baseball games were broadcast in 2013 than ever before.

This milestone comes in the wake of ESPN having committed $500 million in 2011 for the rights to broadcast the CWS (and other college sports championships) through the 2023-24 season.

Whatcha think?

Minor league baseball is a big deal. That isn't true for football and basketball. That's the difference. NCAA baseball will never be a big fish.

(05-21-2015 03:43 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  "If UCSB traveled to Columbus for a February or March series"

Ohio State doesn't even play in Columbus in February, why in the heck would UCSB come to Columbus for baseball unless it's May?

(05-21-2015 04:24 PM)Big Ron Buckeye Wrote:  Ohio State doesn't even play in Columbus in February, why in the heck would UCSB come to Columbus for baseball unless it's May?

I said "in March" as well. UCSB would come to Columbus in March because we would have the rare opportunity of hosting a Big Ten team, THE Ohio State University, the following year. That's a big name regardless of sport.

(05-21-2015 04:39 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(05-21-2015 04:24 PM)Big Ron Buckeye Wrote:  Ohio State doesn't even play in Columbus in February, why in the heck would UCSB come to Columbus for baseball unless it's May?

I said "in March" as well. UCSB would come to Columbus in March because we would have the rare opportunity of hosting a Big Ten team, THE Ohio State University, the following year. That's a big name regardless of sport.

Cal State Fullerton played a series at Indiana on March 14-15 this year. Indiana won all three games, by the way, so obviously Fullerton getting to play several games at home in southern California to start the season was not a significant advantage.

(05-21-2015 06:49 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(05-21-2015 04:39 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(05-21-2015 04:24 PM)Big Ron Buckeye Wrote:  Ohio State doesn't even play in Columbus in February, why in the heck would UCSB come to Columbus for baseball unless it's May?

I said "in March" as well. UCSB would come to Columbus in March because we would have the rare opportunity of hosting a Big Ten team, THE Ohio State University, the following year. That's a big name regardless of sport.

Cal State Fullerton played a series at Indiana on March 14-15 this year. Indiana won all three games, by the way, so obviously Fullerton getting to play several games at home in southern California to start the season was not a significant advantage.

Entering today Fullerton was 2-6 vs the Big Ten (all on the road), and 16-5 in the Big West.

(05-21-2015 03:56 PM)nzmorange Wrote:  

(05-20-2015 02:04 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  I'm attempting JRsec's challenge.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kai-sato/b...50606.html


Whatcha think?

Minor league baseball is a big deal. That isn't true for football and basketball. That's the difference. NCAA baseball will never be a big fish.

I think it may become a break even kind of sport, but not much more. With the minor leagues, the talent level in college isn't that great, and it is competing against the end of NBA and beginning of Big leagues. Add to that that baseball in general isn't anywhere near as popular as it once was.

1. Baseball can be a revenue sport. There are only 11.7 scholarships you have to give out, so enough ticket revenue can offset the scholarships, coaches salaries, and day to day expenses.

2. For all those saying southern and western teams have an advantage over northern teams due to weather... Northern teams have an advantage if they are playing a lot of road games since the adjusted winning percentage used by the RPI punishes home games and rewards road games.