While there has been some talk on another thread about how men's basketball is costing JMU $2,000,000 a year - I think this discussion is worthy of it's own thread.


Comparison by the Numbers:

Pays it's Men's basketball coaches

VCU $2,399,231
JMU $692,394

Contrast by paid to Women's Coaches
VCU $374,195
JMU $571,085

Ticket Revenues

VCU $3,045,131
JMU $118,541

By contrast Women's Basketball ticket revenues

VCU $12,022
JMU $79,953 (almost as much as Men's)

Overall Athletic Contributions
VCU $4,383,812 (Men's basketball alone)
JMU $2,490,403 (All of JMU athletics)


So JMU pays it's Men's coaches and Women's coaches about the same? Does that make sense?

Yep, I agree with Men's football has been very good. Very proud of Women's Softball, Basketball, and Lacrosse. BUT does that mean to put our head in the sand and blindly support how our second premier sport is managed and financially funded?

Success in the other programs is not a reason for me to overlook how the Men's basketball program has been mismanaged. I'm in disbelief (even with a new arena) how blind fans are to the potential for the Men's basketball program.

Full new arena for Men's basketball > $3,000,000 in ticket sales
Ticket revenue for disinterested fan base $118,541

Anyone else notice the correlation to coach pay and success of the program for both Women and Men?

You get what you pay for Yeah, we might have the new Arena half full the first year, but the mind set of hoping we are in the top four next season is not what we need to fill the new arena, build success, and a regular $3,000,000 in tickets sales. VCU is getting over $3,000,000 more than us in ticket revenues and God know how much of related athletics contribution from donors based on the success of their programs. I'll bet the way VCU look at things, they feel they cannot afford the on court and gates results that would come from a coach making $350,000.

Great crowds for both Football and Basketball in the 1980s & 1990s in Harrisonburg. Now that JMU and the City have doubled in size, the same has happened for attendance at football games. The same could happen for Men's basketball. There is not a lot of competition for the entertainment dollar in Harrisonburg.



JMU Athletic Sports Revenues and Expenses

VCU Athletic Sports Revenues and Expenses

I'd also like to point out, if we had spent 10% less on the new arena (which is overkill given our MBB history) we could have hired a $1mm+ coach for the next decade.

Which would help program success, donations, fan support, national recognition more?

- $88mm arena with a $300k coach

or

- $80mm arena with a $1.1mm coach

splitting hairs here, but a sold out Union Bank and Trust center won't bring in $3M in ticket sales for a year of MBB. It would probably be more like $2M by my math.

(04-22-2019 02:23 PM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  splitting hairs here, but a sold out Union Bank and Trust center won't bring in $3M in ticket sales for a year of MBB. It would probably be more like $2M by my math.

I haven't put pen or pencil to paper, but anyway you look at it, JMU is losing major revenue by not realizing the full potential of MBB. Makes little difference whether that loss in revenue comes from not filling the Convo, or is continued by not filling the new United Arena. It's just foolish anyway you look at it.

Would spending an extra $300-400k a year on a HC (for a total of some $550-700k a year) help generate a larger paid ticket base that would not only cover the HC salary, and also a larger stream of revenue for the entire athletic's program? It's not a guarantee, nothing is these days, but its formula that works at other schools. Why not at JMU?

(04-22-2019 02:23 PM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  splitting hairs here, but a sold out Union Bank and Trust center won't bring in $3M in ticket sales for a year of MBB. It would probably be more like $2M by my math.

Our capacity will be 900 more than theirs, but I don't know the cost of clubs and suites. Our tickets could be less due to lack of success or bigger student allocation. If we sold the new arena out for a couple years the ticket prices would go up. What is the basis of your reasoning why a 8,500 arena would only make 2/3 of of 7,600 arena.

But you are right, it's splitting hairs.

The numbers are staggering for two schools that had similar tickets sales 25 years ago. And that we invest about the same thing for Women's basketball as Men's basketball tells you something. That makes no sense. The ROI on Men's basketball can help other sports.

Ticket Revenues

VCU $3,045,131
JMU $118,541 and half those receipts do not attend the game

VCU made more ticket revenue in one half of a game than JMU did in a full season.

Think about and explain that.



That is more based on success than arena or anything else. But for those that think it's arena, ours will be better.

We have been missing the boat for 20 years in men's basketball. Great town, and a student body that loves to support a top program.

JMU MBB Attendance:
2018 - 2,664
2017 - 2,867
2016 - 3,001
2015 - 3,416
2014 - 3,612
2013 - 3,334
2012 - 3,452
2011 - 3,721
2010 - 3,732
2009 - 3,603
2008 - 3,632
2007 - 3,302
2006 - 3,818
2005 - 3,223
2004 - 3,697
2003 - 3,726
2002 - 4,466
2001 - 3,926
2000 - 4,268
1999 - 4,180
1998 - 4,515
1997 - 4,740
1996 - 4,569
1995 - 5,637
1994 - 5,616
1993 - 6,086
1992 - 6,122
1991 - 6,292
1990 - 6,802
1989 - 6,140

1990 Freshmen class: 1,912
2018 Freshmen class: 4,640 (142% increase)

1991-1993 avg MBB attendance: 6,167
2016-2018 avg MBB attendance: 2,844 (54% decrease)

This thread needs a new name, VCU no longer schedules JMU so we should no longer compare the two former conference mates.

FIFY
VCU - Cashing the Benefits of A10 Membership