UAB Schnauzer
1st String
Posts: 2,150
Joined: Oct 2018
Reputation: 156
I Root For: UAB
Location:
|
Can UAB afford the AAC
I have no idea how accurate it is but there has been talk that the AAC requires a 50 million athletic budget. Is that doable and will it be allowed
|
|
10-08-2021 07:52 AM |
|
blazer-J
2nd String
Posts: 328
Joined: Nov 2007
Reputation: 7
I Root For: UAB
Location:
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
(10-08-2021 07:52 AM)UAB Schnauzer Wrote: I have no idea how accurate it is but there has been talk that the AAC requires a 50 million athletic budget. Is that doable and will it be allowed
I think we can get close. I believe we are in the high thirties now. Joining the AAC should give us a decent increase probably around $3 to $6 million (depending on how much ESPN reduces their package). Plus we should see increased revenues from the new stadium. Ticket sales are up and we get a portion of concessions, which I don't think we got at LF. Also, basketball is on the upswing and I expect ticket sales to increase or at least get back to where they were pre-covid.
|
|
10-08-2021 08:08 AM |
|
kdblazer
All American
Posts: 2,573
Joined: May 2007
Reputation: 32
I Root For: UAB
Location: Mtn View Forrest
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
I highly doubt that it's a fixed figure but I think there is some relevance to being within (+) or (-) 5-10% of the mean budget of the remaining members of the conference. Yes we can afford it keep mind there's a projected revenue increase that comes along with joining the conference. Otherwise why make the effort.
(This post was last modified: 10-08-2021 09:12 AM by kdblazer.)
|
|
10-08-2021 09:10 AM |
|
DuelingDragon
All American
Posts: 4,328
Joined: Apr 2021
Reputation: 78
I Root For: UAB
Location: Birmingham
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
Athletic “budgets” are shell games. We above all schools should know this. You can make the budget say whatever you want it to say.
AAC schools do “spend” more than C-USA schools. The primary drivers are substantially more tv revenue, better attendance, more ncaa units, and these are further inflated by 1) larger enrollments at the public schools, hence more student fees: 2) private school tuition that isn’t really a sunk cost.
|
|
10-08-2021 10:06 AM |
|
BlazintheAtl1
All American
Posts: 2,519
Joined: Apr 2020
Reputation: 83
I Root For: UAB
Location: Riyadh
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
How many teams in CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt have or can afford a $50 million athletic budget? I think some concessions will have to be made if that is a current requirement.
|
|
10-08-2021 10:31 AM |
|
biglizard
All American
Posts: 2,526
Joined: Jan 2005
Reputation: 9
I Root For:
Location:
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
The alternate question is can we afford not to go?
|
|
10-08-2021 10:36 AM |
|
kdblazer
All American
Posts: 2,573
Joined: May 2007
Reputation: 32
I Root For: UAB
Location: Mtn View Forrest
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
(10-08-2021 10:31 AM)BlazintheAtl1 Wrote: How many teams in CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt have or can afford a $50 million athletic budget? I think some concessions will have to be made if that is a current requirement.
I don't know if it still applies but I think the BOT placed an artificial cap on our budget during the return just to add insult to injury. But I don't think it should be an issue due to the increase exposure means more students, higher national profile among prospective students, so on and so forth.
|
|
10-08-2021 10:37 AM |
|
kdblazer
All American
Posts: 2,573
Joined: May 2007
Reputation: 32
I Root For: UAB
Location: Mtn View Forrest
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
(10-08-2021 10:36 AM)biglizard Wrote: The alternate question is can we afford not to go?
Or why can't we afford to go?
|
|
10-08-2021 10:39 AM |
|
DuelingDragon
All American
Posts: 4,328
Joined: Apr 2021
Reputation: 78
I Root For: UAB
Location: Birmingham
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
None of the AAC teams could "afford it," either. It's a BS number, one they "grew" to.
UCF's budget was only $4 mllion in 1992-93, the same year UAB joined FCS. UCF's athletic budget was $6 million when both UCF and UAB joined I-A (FBS) in 1996. It was $13 million when they entered the MAC for football only in 2001.
Today that "budget" is $71 million. Hmmm. In 1992, that enrollment was 21,000. Anyone see a correlation to their rise in athletics?
It ain't coincidence that UCF university enrollment exploded in that time, or that more than half that so-called athletic "budget" was made up of student fees. UCF got to the Big 12 by growing its total university to 70,000 students, and as it did so, by investing back into athletics including facilities that it owned and operated. 71,000 students, 71 million athletic budget. Just coincidence.
Athletic budgets are Enron-level paper tigers designed to tell whatever story administrations want to tell.
(This post was last modified: 10-08-2021 01:16 PM by DuelingDragon.)
|
|
10-08-2021 10:44 AM |
|
ICB
Heisman
Posts: 5,917
Joined: Jan 2004
Reputation: 146
I Root For: UAB
Location:
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
Anyone think that the sudden purchase of 1000 tickets by COB was a "let's make the numbers work" move?
|
|
10-08-2021 11:52 AM |
|
kdblazer
All American
Posts: 2,573
Joined: May 2007
Reputation: 32
I Root For: UAB
Location: Mtn View Forrest
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
(10-08-2021 11:52 AM)ICB Wrote: Anyone think that the sudden purchase of 1000 tickets by COB was a "let's make the numbers work" move?
The city as supported UAB football from the very start so I see as a continuation of a mutual beneficial relationship but making the numbers work....works as well
|
|
10-08-2021 12:00 PM |
|
GreenFreakUAB
All American
Posts: 3,816
Joined: Nov 2010
Reputation: 279
I Root For: UAB
Location: Pleasant Grove, AL.
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
...I may be way off, but I don't think we would be sitting in a new stadium, still have Coach Clark, and have Coach Kennedy as well as Coach Dunn in baseball, as well as pretty much all other sports receiving upgrades to facilities and staff, unless there is an impending 'advancement' of our program... ...or at least a major effort to that end... I think the budget will get to where it needs to be - although folks over on the Conference Realignment board are harping on it pretty good...
|
|
10-08-2021 12:17 PM |
|
hooverblazer
Promoter of UAB
Posts: 13,777
Joined: Dec 2006
Reputation: 101
I Root For: UAB
Location:
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
(10-08-2021 11:52 AM)ICB Wrote: Anyone think that the sudden purchase of 1000 tickets by COB was a "let's make the numbers work" move?
Those season tickets were bought for $100k. That isn't really a big budget booster.
|
|
10-08-2021 12:18 PM |
|
WesternBlazer
Hall of Famer
Posts: 22,158
Joined: Jan 2008
Reputation: 90
I Root For: UAB
Location:
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
(10-08-2021 12:00 PM)kdblazer Wrote: (10-08-2021 11:52 AM)ICB Wrote: Anyone think that the sudden purchase of 1000 tickets by COB was a "let's make the numbers work" move?
The city as supported UAB football from the very start so I see as a continuation of a mutual beneficial relationship but making the numbers work....works as well
The city has always purchased tickets to UAB football games - as many as 5000 at one point.
|
|
10-08-2021 12:18 PM |
|
HiddenDragon
Banned
Posts: 15,979
Joined: May 2004
I Root For:
Location:
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
(10-08-2021 10:31 AM)BlazintheAtl1 Wrote: How many teams in CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt have or can afford a $50 million athletic budget? I think some concessions will have to be made if that is a current requirement.
None.
|
|
10-08-2021 12:24 PM |
|
blazerjay
Moderator
Posts: 8,978
Joined: Jan 2004
Reputation: 120
I Root For: UAB
Location:
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
(10-08-2021 10:37 AM)kdblazer Wrote: (10-08-2021 10:31 AM)BlazintheAtl1 Wrote: How many teams in CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt have or can afford a $50 million athletic budget? I think some concessions will have to be made if that is a current requirement.
I don't know if it still applies but I think the BOT placed an artificial cap on our budget during the return just to add insult to injury. But I don't think it should be an issue due to the increase exposure means more students, higher national profile among prospective students, so on and so forth.
No, they placed a cap on the amount of University assistance towards the budget.
But to answer the original inflammatory question, yes UAB can afford to go or we wouldn't have been in talks with the AAC since almost the moment the Texas/Oklahoma news broke.
(This post was last modified: 10-08-2021 12:33 PM by blazerjay.)
|
|
10-08-2021 12:31 PM |
|
DuelingDragon
All American
Posts: 4,328
Joined: Apr 2021
Reputation: 78
I Root For: UAB
Location: Birmingham
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
(10-08-2021 12:31 PM)blazerjay Wrote: (10-08-2021 10:37 AM)kdblazer Wrote: (10-08-2021 10:31 AM)BlazintheAtl1 Wrote: How many teams in CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt have or can afford a $50 million athletic budget? I think some concessions will have to be made if that is a current requirement.
I don't know if it still applies but I think the BOT placed an artificial cap on our budget during the return just to add insult to injury. But I don't think it should be an issue due to the increase exposure means more students, higher national profile among prospective students, so on and so forth.
No, they placed a cap on the amount of University assistance towards the budget.
But to answer the original inflammatory question, yes UAB can afford to go or we wouldn't have been in talks with the AAC since almost the moment the Texas/Oklahoma news broke.
The gap between the remaining AAC schools and the UAB budget can almost entirely be accounted for by 1) their increased media deal; 2) higher coaching salaries; 3) NCAA basketball units. 4) slightly higher attendance revenue. They didn't suddenly start spending a bunch of extra money like drunken sailors on weekend leave. No, they got ACCESS to additional funds through conference affiliation, escalated over a period of years.
|
|
10-08-2021 01:11 PM |
|
BAMANBLAZERFAN
Hall of Famer
Posts: 17,221
Joined: Oct 2005
Reputation: 57
I Root For: UAB & Bama
Location: Cropwell, AL
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
I expect that the income for the UAB Athletic Deot will get a boost over the next several years as they now have complete control of all ticket sales at Protective Stadium. Fans can expect yearly increases in both ticket prices and the premium paid for the right to buy them. Collegiate revenue sports are very expensive to maintain and are only going to get more so in the coming decades. Many thanks to the City of B'ham for continuing to buy tickets for UAB home games, and UAB decides where those tickets will be seated.
While UAB can't match the two state's P5 schools (with reported annual incomes of $130 million for Auburn to $150 million for Bama), we still must compete where we can at the lower levels. Our competition is just as aware of the revenue sports picture as we are and are making their own moves to improve their program's image. EX: GA State acquiring "The TED" as their own and renovating it for football. This season they almost took down Auburn on national TV.
|
|
10-08-2021 01:53 PM |
|
ICB
Heisman
Posts: 5,917
Joined: Jan 2004
Reputation: 146
I Root For: UAB
Location:
|
RE: Can UAB afford the AAC
So do we need a Bill Carr Report to show that we already have a $50M budget?
|
|
10-08-2021 04:12 PM |
|