(02-26-2019 04:06 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(02-26-2019 03:23 PM)usffan Wrote:  

(02-26-2019 11:24 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(02-26-2019 11:01 AM)usffan Wrote:  

(02-26-2019 10:19 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  That’s what I’m thinking. Does any other AAC school have an AD and president that do regular weekly guest segments on local sports radio? That regular access is going to create some information—even it is very limited and basic—to come out. For instance, had the Memphis prez and AD had simply said—“we are still in negotiations” the headline would read—“no deal yet”.

Maybe the better question is SHOULD presidents and ADs do regular weekly guest segments on local sports radio? If you ask me, the risk/reward isn't worth it. I suspect that the University of Louisville is at least as "big (a) part of the city" as Memphis, and yet they managed to keep secret negotiations with the Big East (and the ACC). Same with Syracuse and the ACC. Despite living in a Kardashian world, it's not clear that you need to do everything in (and for) the public eye. In fact, there's plenty of evidence that it's better to do things behind closed doors.

You know who learned that lesson pretty well? UCF. They publicly stated to anybody who would listen back around 2000 that they weren't interested in Conference USA because their football was destined for the Big East. Once they were spurned, they had to join the MAC with their hat in their hands. Hitt learned a lesson about being quiet, which was a contributing factor in their creation of the private UCF Athletic Association, freeing them up from inconveniences like FOIA requests.

USFFan

I couldnt disagree more. The entire purpose of the athletic department is to increase exposure revenues. The purpose of these regular radio segments is to promote the athletic department, the school, and to help drive ticket sales. Frankly, the existence of multiple TV/radio/newspaper outlets in the local media is a place where virtually every AAC school in a large citiy has huge advantage that they have largely failed to leverage. I give kudos to Memphis for utilizing the local media with weekley segments by their AD and president. Its great PR and no doubt helps to promote interest in Memphis sports.

As for FOIA requests---reporters understand the value of the FOIA and submit random wide reaching FOIA requests to public institutions and universities all the time. They understand that they can break stories that way---even if the administration of that institution or school is deathly quiet and tight lipped. Many have avoided email and text communications in sensitive situations in order to protect themselves against such requests. Old fashioned voice phone conversations are the best way to communicate these days if you dont want something to accidentally end up being exposed by FOIA requests.

FIFY

I can assure you Baylor wants far less exposure (ahem Art Briles, Title IX ahem) than they want the revenues that come from being in the Big XII. And if the ticket to getting into the Big XII means learning to keep your mouth shut, then you should probably keep your mouth shut. Memphis' administration has a pretty long history of being very poor at this.

USFFan

And revenue and value comes from putting butts in seats. That said, if schools are in the sports business primarily to make money---then they are dismal failure in that effort. Most school athletic departments are money losers. The only way athletic departments make sense at most schools is as the primary marketing arm of the university. In other words---the athletic department is designed to get positive exposure for the school---which hopefully results in more enrollment (money) for the school.

And you're going to get more of all of that if you increase the profile of schools that will be coming in to play you. In order to do that, you need to be able to know when to speak and also when NOT to speak. You're really making this way harder than it has to be. Ask yourself this - if you were negotiating with somebody, would you prefer for those negotiations to be going on in public or in private? If you were thinking of partnering with somebody, would you want them revealing your private discussions?

Do I think there is value in creating publicity? At times. But there's clearly not a need to share all of the intimate details, especially when those details impact your other 11/12 partners.

USFFan