The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Akron U uses $22.8 million from their general fund to support Athletics. They have announced they will cut $8 million of that over 3 years (Plan is to cut $3m and to increase revenues by $5m). They are not cutting any sports but instead will not compete on the national level in certain ones. They used baseball as an example where they will only recruit locally and give no scholarships unless they are funded by donors. Sounds like a D3 program within a so called D1 school. I wonder if this will catch on in the MAC and other smaller conferences.

(06-08-2019 07:05 AM)burden Wrote:  Akron U uses $22.8 million from their general fund to support Athletics. They have announced they will cut $8 million of that over 3 years (Plan is to cut $3m and to increase revenues by $5m). They are not cutting any sports but instead will not compete on the national level in certain ones. They used baseball as an example where they will only recruit locally and give no scholarships unless they are funded by donors. Sounds like a D3 program within a so called D1 school. I wonder if this will catch on in the MAC and other smaller conferences.

How does this $22.8-mil compare around the league ... high, low, middle???

(06-08-2019 03:18 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(06-08-2019 07:05 AM)burden Wrote:  Akron U uses $22.8 million from their general fund to support Athletics. They have announced they will cut $8 million of that over 3 years (Plan is to cut $3m and to increase revenues by $5m). They are not cutting any sports but instead will not compete on the national level in certain ones. They used baseball as an example where they will only recruit locally and give no scholarships unless they are funded by donors. Sounds like a D3 program within a so called D1 school. I wonder if this will catch on in the MAC and other smaller conferences.

How does this $22.8-mil compare around the league ... high, low, middle???

I’m not sure but either way they look like they are trying to save money by really downgrading certain sports. Unless they have a bunch of alumni willing to support baseball scholarships they have doomed themselves to being a bottom feeder. The inference in the article was it would be more that just baseball. I assume they will put the same if not more money into football, basketball and soccer plus certain women’s sports and improve their standing in those sports. It’s a similar strategy to saving money by dropping to a lower division without doing it in the sports you care about.

I'm more than old enough to remember when Akron was "small school" in all sports. The NCAA did not establish the three divisions until 1973, before that the "big" programs were in the "university" division, and the rest, including Akron, were in the "college" division. Maybe my memory is faulty, but it seemed to me that Akron sports were more popular back then, and had more community support. Maybe not in attendance, especially since the basketball team played in a tiny facility, but in community interest. It probably won't happen in my lifetime, but I can see the day coming when, due to financial considerations, many current D I schools start scaling way back, except in certain sports. like Johns Hopkins in lacrosse and Akron in soccer, to name two obvious examples. I could be wrong, but I can't see most universities keeping up with the ever increasing costs of athletics, other than the big Power 5 type programs.

I certainly agree that only the Power 5 (and probably only half of them) will be able to support all sports. Maybe it’s time to create a Super Division of 50 schools and let the other 300 schools actually have a chance of winning. If Akron wants to compete with the big boys in soccer and Kent wants to in golf let them but other than that stay with your peers. It would be like a Division I-AA for all sports not just football.

Have to admit a couple of years ago went to a football game at Akron and my friend who is an alumnus gave me a tour of their indoor facility. Was impressed with the facility paired with the new stadium was wondering how they did it. Have to wonder if their day of reckoning for their upgrades is upon them.

How they did it? They built something they couldn’t afford and then cuts 200+ staff, dropped baseball and kept raising the athletic fees charged to students.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015...l-spending

https://www.crainscleveland.com/sports-b...ts-dilemma

Quote:Looking for ‘a grand slam'
One of the biggest anchors on the athletic department's budget is the $61.6 million InfoCision Stadium, which has an annual debt service of $5 million. About 94% of that is allocated to athletics.

"The stadium is already built," Green said. "We can't abolish half of it. Maybe we aren't utilizing it sufficiently. But from my point of view, those are fixed costs, and we have to do the best we can with it."

The university's financial problems put a halt to plans to renovate James A. Rhodes Arena, which soon will ring in its 36th basketball season.

PS: that beautiful new stadium is falling apart already.

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/...1f525bb3ff

Akron is the clusterf**k of public higher ed institutions. I know we're supposed to hate them, but their misadventures have been really bad for all of NE Ohio.

That said, if there is a sport that you probably could put together a solid D1 team with no scholarships, it's baseball. I've had some family friends pursue baseball and I can say that, with limited scholarships anyway and poor strategies in how to use the scholarships and poor coaching in general, they can put together a decent team with northern Ohio talent with the right coaching.

Great points by all.

Akron is the clusterf**k of public higher ed institutions. I know we're supposed to hate them, but their misadventures have been really bad for all of NE Ohio.
I concur with your thoughts.

They have a football stadium falling apart. Welty the GC (owner is an alumnus) will soon be bankrupt so good luck with getting any money.

Groce will leave soon due to the facilities and budget constraints

I love that when you read the article they are going to make their money back with their new football coach. Dont hold your breathe

(06-10-2019 08:08 AM)KSU93 Wrote:  I love that when you read the article they are going to make their money back with their new football coach. Dont hold your breathe

I read that as well. That is very wishful thinking in my opinion.

Just like they did with Bowden...

Speaking of Bowden...
https://www.cbssports.com/college-footba...ports-say/

Another Akron football coach survived cancer and the curse of Akron U athletics. Plus, rumor has it that he’s making around 500k. Not too shabby. https://hurricanesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=1656

(06-12-2019 10:21 PM)Lambert58 Wrote:  Another Akron football coach survived cancer and the curse of Akron U athletics. Plus, rumor has it that he’s making around 500k. Not too shabby. https://hurricanesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=1656

I always laugh at some of the stats they pull out to make a skunk smell good. So at 392 ypg, Acorn was 8th in the MAC. But they can't write that "Stroud's defense was a below average in the MAC" So we get "In 2018, the Zips’ defense ranked third in the Mid-American Conference in third-down defense, third in passing efficiency defense" So even if they could just play 3rd downs, they still wouldn't be in the top 2? And you'd assume 1st and 2nd down defense was worse than 3rd? I can imagine Hurricane fans thinking "Can't we hire the guy whose defense was 1st in the MAC in any of these categories?"

(06-08-2019 03:18 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(06-08-2019 07:05 AM)burden Wrote:  Akron U uses $22.8 million from their general fund to support Athletics. They have announced they will cut $8 million of that over 3 years (Plan is to cut $3m and to increase revenues by $5m). They are not cutting any sports but instead will not compete on the national level in certain ones. They used baseball as an example where they will only recruit locally and give no scholarships unless they are funded by donors. Sounds like a D3 program within a so called D1 school. I wonder if this will catch on in the MAC and other smaller conferences.

How does this $22.8-mil compare around the league ... high, low, middle???

MY QUESTION STILL STANDS .... how does $22.8-mil in student fees/general fund compare around the league? Does anybody know? Is there a list somewhere?

(06-13-2019 07:42 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(06-08-2019 03:18 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(06-08-2019 07:05 AM)burden Wrote:  Akron U uses $22.8 million from their general fund to support Athletics. They have announced they will cut $8 million of that over 3 years (Plan is to cut $3m and to increase revenues by $5m). They are not cutting any sports but instead will not compete on the national level in certain ones. They used baseball as an example where they will only recruit locally and give no scholarships unless they are funded by donors. Sounds like a D3 program within a so called D1 school. I wonder if this will catch on in the MAC and other smaller conferences.

How does this $22.8-mil compare around the league ... high, low, middle???

MY QUESTION STILL STANDS .... how does $22.8-mil in student fees/general fund compare around the league? Does anybody know? Is there a list somewhere?

$22.8-mil ranks "third in the Mid-American Conference in third-down defense, third in passing efficiency defense"

(06-13-2019 07:42 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(06-08-2019 03:18 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(06-08-2019 07:05 AM)burden Wrote:  Akron U uses $22.8 million from their general fund to support Athletics. They have announced they will cut $8 million of that over 3 years (Plan is to cut $3m and to increase revenues by $5m). They are not cutting any sports but instead will not compete on the national level in certain ones. They used baseball as an example where they will only recruit locally and give no scholarships unless they are funded by donors. Sounds like a D3 program within a so called D1 school. I wonder if this will catch on in the MAC and other smaller conferences.

How does this $22.8-mil compare around the league ... high, low, middle???

MY QUESTION STILL STANDS .... how does $22.8-mil in student fees/general fund compare around the league? Does anybody know? Is there a list somewhere?

https://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances/

(06-13-2019 06:56 AM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  

(06-12-2019 10:21 PM)Lambert58 Wrote:  Another Akron football coach survived cancer and the curse of Akron U athletics. Plus, rumor has it that he’s making around 500k. Not too shabby. https://hurricanesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=1656

I always laugh at some of the stats they pull out to make a skunk smell good. So at 392 ypg, Acorn was 8th in the MAC. But they can't write that "Stroud's defense was a below average in the MAC" So we get "In 2018, the Zips’ defense ranked third in the Mid-American Conference in third-down defense, third in passing efficiency defense" So even if they could just play 3rd downs, they still wouldn't be in the top 2? And you'd assume 1st and 2nd down defense was worse than 3rd? I can imagine Hurricane fans thinking "Can't we hire the guy whose defense was 1st in the MAC in any of these categories?"

Indeed. Most of the bios are a stretch. Hurricane fans don’t know what the MAC is but they do know Stroud is from Florida and has won with big programs before.

Exchanging emails with a friend who is an Akron alumnus. His response to my questioning the financial situation at Akron was to send me Akron and Kent State official listing of football staffing. He pointed out how Akron has 2 more full time paid non coaching positions than KSU.
Is the football program that underfunded compared to the rest of the MAC?

(07-04-2019 11:05 AM)Proud pilot Wrote:  Exchanging emails with a friend who is an Akron alumnus. His response to my questioning the financial situation at Akron was to send me Akron and Kent State official listing of football staffing. He pointed out how Akron has 2 more full time paid non coaching positions than KSU.
Is the football program that underfunded compared to the rest of the MAC?

Akron also has a newer/bigger/expensive (white elephant) stadium compared to Kent ...

more stadium/more staff/more debt ...???... just a thought

(Or perhaps, staff wise, they are paying less for more than Kent) ... just another thought