http://niuhuskies.com/news/2018/6/21/gen...-work.aspx

No salacious news of mega-donations, but seems like fundraising is more robust than the last year or two, football season ticket renewals going well, new Nelson Club looks sweet...

Juicy stuff.

Anybody know what is considered NIU Fiscal Year. Is it June-May?

(06-23-2018 07:32 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  Anybody know what is considered NIU Fiscal Year. Is it June-May?

July 1 - June 30.

So, according to them, donations and revenue are up all around, including premium seating (even basketball). So, if all that is true, there is money that can be spent on things we've talked about. Let's see what's being done with all that money this year.

(06-23-2018 11:07 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  So, according to them, donations and revenue are up all around, including premium seating (even basketball). So, if all that is true, there is money that can be spent on things we've talked about. Let's see what's being done with all that money this year.

I think they are also bracing for more athletic department budget cuts, hopefully all of the progress doesn't end up as backfill.

There are some huge swings from year to year.

FY14 & FY15 up 500K & 600K respectively vs FY 13 (Orange Bowl/Lynch Heisman candidate)

FY16 up almost 600K over FY15....And then FY17 dropped almost a $ 1,000,000.
How/Why did that happen??

Thankfully we rebound 800K FY18.

I’m guessing these wild swings happen because of very LARGE donations that come along (or don’t come along)?

(06-23-2018 11:48 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  There are some huge swings from year to year.

FY14 & FY15 up 500K & 600K respectively vs FY 13 (Orange Bowl/Lynch Heisman candidate)

FY16 up almost 600K over FY15....And then FY17 dropped almost a $ 1,000,000.
How/Why did that happen??

Thankfully we rebound 800K FY18.

I’m guessing these wild swings happen because of very LARGE donations that come along (or don’t come along)?

I think so too. If it weren't for the larger donations, they'd be in sad shape. No one can tell me that ticket revenue has gone up because those of us who go to the games and/or follow attendance know that it is declining. Basketball attendance is abysmal. I would not doubt that HAF donations from regular, normal people have declined. The midweek night games are a big factor. That's why they ignore most donors and kiss the arses of the mega donors. More bang for their kisses!

(06-23-2018 11:48 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  There are some huge swings from year to year.

FY14 & FY15 up 500K & 600K respectively vs FY 13 (Orange Bowl/Lynch Heisman candidate)

FY16 up almost 600K over FY15....And then FY17 dropped almost a $ 1,000,000.
How/Why did that happen??

Thankfully we rebound 800K FY18.

I’m guessing these wild swings happen because of very LARGE donations that come along (or don’t come along)?

I'm willing to bet that giant drop had something to do with not making a bowl game for the first time in a long time in 2016, 2 Saturday games in 2017 (plus homecoming game being practically rained out) and the fire Rod Carey movement which encouraged everyone to not renew their season tickets.

Creative Writing 101 again.

•As of May 15, 2018; have renewed 77% of 2018 football season tickets, which has already surpassed last years' final renewal rate of 72%.

Does SF want to report it this way?
Lost 28% of football season ticket holders in 2017
Lost 23% in football season ticket holders in 2018
So does that mean we lost almost 51% of our season ticket holders in 2 years?
So how many NEW football season holders did we have in 2017 and 2018?

(06-23-2018 12:11 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(06-23-2018 11:48 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  There are some huge swings from year to year.

FY14 & FY15 up 500K & 600K respectively vs FY 13 (Orange Bowl/Lynch Heisman candidate)

FY16 up almost 600K over FY15....And then FY17 dropped almost a $ 1,000,000.
How/Why did that happen??

Thankfully we rebound 800K FY18.

I’m guessing these wild swings happen because of very LARGE donations that come along (or don’t come along)?

I think so too. If it weren't for the larger donations, they'd be in sad shape. No one can tell me that ticket revenue has gone up because those of us who go to the games and/or follow attendance know that it is declining. Basketball attendance is abysmal. I would not doubt that HAF donations from regular, normal people have declined. The midweek night games are a big factor. That's why they ignore most donors and kiss the arses of the mega donors. More bang for their kisses!

No where does he claim ticket revenue is up overall. What he does say is women’s basketball ticket revenue was up to prior year. That is based on it being the only of the four revenue sports to have an increase in season tickets over prior year. It doesn’t necessarily mean butts in the seats but the tickets were sold. He also talks about an increase in premium sales revenues. That means chairbacks, benchbacks, skyseats, skybox, coaches club, end zone club, courtside seating, and Nelson Suite. Again not necessarily more butts in the seats but increased revenue based on the sales of those premiums.

Bottom line under Sean’s regime, even taking into account dips in particular revenue lines, overall revenues generated by athletics is up. Unfortunately however allocations of money primarily for athletic salaries from the university has been cut substantially over the last couple of years and will likely be cut again. This and the reductions in athletic fees due to the dips in enrollment requires much of the new revenue generated by athletics to be used to make-up those shortfalls. The name Campaign to Sustain pretty much implies this.

(06-23-2018 03:25 PM)niu1980 Wrote:  

(06-23-2018 12:11 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(06-23-2018 11:48 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  There are some huge swings from year to year.

FY14 & FY15 up 500K & 600K respectively vs FY 13 (Orange Bowl/Lynch Heisman candidate)

FY16 up almost 600K over FY15....And then FY17 dropped almost a $ 1,000,000.
How/Why did that happen??

Thankfully we rebound 800K FY18.

I’m guessing these wild swings happen because of very LARGE donations that come along (or don’t come along)?

I think so too. If it weren't for the larger donations, they'd be in sad shape. No one can tell me that ticket revenue has gone up because those of us who go to the games and/or follow attendance know that it is declining. Basketball attendance is abysmal. I would not doubt that HAF donations from regular, normal people have declined. The midweek night games are a big factor. That's why they ignore most donors and kiss the arses of the mega donors. More bang for their kisses!

No where does he claim ticket revenue is up overall. What he does say is women’s basketball ticket revenue was up to prior year. That is based on it being the only of the four revenue sports to have an increase in season tickets over prior year. It doesn’t necessarily mean butts in the seats but the tickets were sold. He also talks about an increase in premium sales revenues. That means chairbacks, benchbacks, skyseats, skybox, coaches club, end zone club, courtside seating, and Nelson Suite. Again not necessarily more butts in the seats but increased revenue based on the sales of those premiums.

Bottom line under Sean’s regime, even taking into account dips in particular revenue lines, overall revenues generated by athletics is up. Unfortunately however allocations of money primarily for athletic salaries from the university has been cut substantially over the last couple of years and will likely be cut again. This and the reductions in athletic fees due to the dips in enrollment requires much of the new revenue generated by athletics to be used to make-up those shortfalls. The name Campaign to Sustain pretty much implies this.

Wonderful news that they will have the money to make up for state and athletic fees shortfalls. They are performing miracles considering that attendance and season ticket sales have dropped and will most likely continue to fall.

So, how is the Master Plan going for stadium upgrades? Would they consider a Repair and Renovation Fund for sorely needed repairs and minor renovations to Huskie Stadium? Have funds already been encumbered for a new video board for the Convo?

(06-23-2018 04:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(06-23-2018 03:25 PM)niu1980 Wrote:  

(06-23-2018 12:11 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(06-23-2018 11:48 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  There are some huge swings from year to year.

FY14 & FY15 up 500K & 600K respectively vs FY 13 (Orange Bowl/Lynch Heisman candidate)

FY16 up almost 600K over FY15....And then FY17 dropped almost a $ 1,000,000.
How/Why did that happen??

Thankfully we rebound 800K FY18.

I’m guessing these wild swings happen because of very LARGE donations that come along (or don’t come along)?

I think so too. If it weren't for the larger donations, they'd be in sad shape. No one can tell me that ticket revenue has gone up because those of us who go to the games and/or follow attendance know that it is declining. Basketball attendance is abysmal. I would not doubt that HAF donations from regular, normal people have declined. The midweek night games are a big factor. That's why they ignore most donors and kiss the arses of the mega donors. More bang for their kisses!

No where does he claim ticket revenue is up overall. What he does say is women’s basketball ticket revenue was up to prior year. That is based on it being the only of the four revenue sports to have an increase in season tickets over prior year. It doesn’t necessarily mean butts in the seats but the tickets were sold. He also talks about an increase in premium sales revenues. That means chairbacks, benchbacks, skyseats, skybox, coaches club, end zone club, courtside seating, and Nelson Suite. Again not necessarily more butts in the seats but increased revenue based on the sales of those premiums.

Bottom line under Sean’s regime, even taking into account dips in particular revenue lines, overall revenues generated by athletics is up. Unfortunately however allocations of money primarily for athletic salaries from the university has been cut substantially over the last couple of years and will likely be cut again. This and the reductions in athletic fees due to the dips in enrollment requires much of the new revenue generated by athletics to be used to make-up those shortfalls. The name Campaign to Sustain pretty much implies this.

Wonderful news that they will have the money to make up for state and athletic fees shortfalls. They are performing miracles considering that attendance and season ticket sales have dropped and will most likely continue to fall.

So, how is the Master Plan going for stadium upgrades? Would they consider a Repair and Renovation Fund for sorely needed repairs and minor renovations to Huskie Stadium? Have funds already been encumbered for a new video board for the Convo?

I don’t have any information regarding the Master Plan. There has been discussions regarding repairs and maintenance particularly those areas that touch the athletes. The new convo video board is scheduled to be in place prior to the upcoming basketball season.

With the State and student activity fee shortfalls being covered by increased donations and the tons of money coming in from playing the 3 P5 teams on the road, Athletics should be in great shape financially. There should be enough money to do some repairs for the fans in addition to what they are doing for the athletes.

I wonder how much money we need to pay a program like Utah to play in Huskie Stadium. How much of the money that we take in from one of our P5 away games goes out the back door in order to attract a quality opponent like this to play on campus?

I think it is great that Mr. Frazier was able to get Utah to play in DeKalb so I am not questioning that. I just bring it up because some of us have pointed out that we will be flush from the revenues from our P5 away games.

Honestly I have no idea how this all works but i would think that we had to provide Utah with some level of guaranteed revenue to play us at home.

(06-24-2018 04:41 PM)bikechuck Wrote:  I wonder how much money we need to pay a program like Utah to play in Huskie Stadium. How much of the money that we take in from one of our P5 away games goes out the back door in order to attract a quality opponent like this to play on campus?

I think it is great that Mr. Frazier was able to get Utah to play in DeKalb so I am not questioning that. I just bring it up because some of us have pointed out that we will be flush from the revenues from our P5 away games.

Honestly I have no idea how this all works but i would think that we had to provide Utah with some level of guaranteed revenue to play us at home.

Yes, I am sure we will have to pay Utah plenty. This is why IMO we should play all 4 OOC games at the big boys. Athletics can use the money for needed repairs and renovations and other expenses. Do this for 2 or 3 years to fatten the wallet.

We also play at Utah so maybe we aren’t paying them and they aren’t paying us.

(06-24-2018 05:41 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  We also play at Utah so maybe we aren’t paying them and they aren’t paying us.

That is basically correct. The same for the BYU series and Maryland assuming the home game gets rescheduled.