Interesting stat from our AD

[FalconTurf]

To flips point, beating the lower tier of the power 5 conferences is fun, but not that satisfying anymore because those teams are not really on the same level anymore either.

Yeah they get the big cuts of conference money but they don't have the massive revenue streams of the big boys either.

They're close to us, on the field, than they are to their conference big boys, but they at least get to suckle at the teat enough to stay alive. They're the runts of the litter but at least there is a teat for em. We're lapping up puddle water and hoping to get the same nutrition...

That sums it up pretty well.

[BGSU33]

I love BG, I love BG in the MAC, I love BG being an FBS team in football, and I love BG being a D-1 athletics program across the board. So BG won't ever win a national championship in football. So what. There are currently 128 FBS teams and 100-plus of them won't ever win one/another one either, including a number of P5 teams. So BG's athletic department doesn't rake in the money like a school such as OSU does. Yeah, well neither does nearly every other school in the country. Of the 128 schools that compete in FBS football out there, only 20 of them generate more money from athletics than they spend on their athletic departments. To put that into even more perspective, there are nearly 1,100 colleges and universities competing in sports under the NCAA's governance. Only 20 of those 1,100 schools are profitable. BG is not in some unique situation people, it is the norm.

[apollo]

BG and the rest of the MAC are going to remain in the FBS until the big schools force them out. Right, wrong or indifferent that's the way it's going to be.

[Flipper]

I don't think the argument that we're unique has been advanced....I think we're kidding ourselves that having the designation of D1 means anything in today's environment...I think the gap between us and the real D1 is only going to get wider and the cost associated with trying to keep that gap from getting wider will be prohibitive and will amount to throwing money down a rat hole. I think the MAC has sold football to ESPN to the detriment of the student and alumni fan base. The value of an association with ESPN..beyond the $$$ that (as hammb pointed out) are offset by absorbing the production costs (which, I suppose...is part of the RTVF degree program) ...is diminshed because ESPN is loosing hundreds of thousands of viewers each year as people wise up to the degree that cable TV rips them off.

I don't know what the future holds...I do have the sense that athletics isn't a very high priority for most of our students

[Schadenfreude]

I love BG, I love BG in the MAC, I love BG being an FBS team in football, and I love BG being a D-1 athletics program across the board. So BG won't ever win a national championship in football. So what. There are currently 128 FBS teams and 100-plus of them won't ever win one/another one either, including a number of P5 teams. So BG's athletic department doesn't rake in the money like a school such as OSU does. Yeah, well neither does nearly every other school in the country. Of the 128 schools that compete in FBS football out there, only 20 of them generate more money from athletics than they spend on their athletic departments. To put that into even more perspective, there are nearly 1,100 colleges and universities competing in sports under the NCAA's governance. Only 20 of those 1,100 schools are profitable. BG is not in some unique situation people, it is the norm.

Good post.

As far as national championships: Let's start qualifying for New Year's Day bowl games before we get too caught up in that.

In the meantime, maybe we can focus on winning another MAC East title first (in 2017).

[hammb]

I love BG, I love BG in the MAC, I love BG being an FBS team in football, and I love BG being a D-1 athletics program across the board. So BG won't ever win a national championship in football. So what. There are currently 128 FBS teams and 100-plus of them won't ever win one/another one either, including a number of P5 teams. So BG's athletic department doesn't rake in the money like a school such as OSU does. Yeah, well neither does nearly every other school in the country. Of the 128 schools that compete in FBS football out there, only 20 of them generate more money from athletics than they spend on their athletic departments. To put that into even more perspective, there are nearly 1,100 colleges and universities competing in sports under the NCAA's governance. Only 20 of those 1,100 schools are profitable. BG is not in some unique situation people, it is the norm.

I like the thought of all of those things as well.

I've never once said our situation is unique. In fact, the very truth that it is NOT unique is why I think it's worth addressing. If we were unique the solution would be simple: drop athletics or figure out what everybody else does. The very fact that it is not unique underlays why this is such a huge issue. College athletics have ceased being a rallying point/campus culture thing. They've become big business for the few that are profitable, and a money suck by everybody else trying to keep up.

Yes, there are comparatively few athletic departments that turn an actual profit, again, exactly why the conversation should be had.

I'm still paying off student loans for my wife & I. I have a 1 year old that will be going to college someday. It really rubs me the wrong way when I think of the thousands of dollars in debt my family has (and will) incur purely so that we can "like being D1 in football and other sports."

[Flipper]

Thus spake hammb...

"I'm still paying off student loans for my wife & I. I have a 1 year old that will be going to college someday. It really rubs me the wrong way when I think of the thousands of dollars in debt my family has (and will) incur purely so that we can "like being D1 in football and other sports."

Bingo!

It's like that buzz cut chick from the 90's used to say..."Stop the insanity"

WTF ever happened to her...she was hot

[Schadenfreude]

Thus spake hammb...

"I'm still paying off student loans for my wife & I. I have a 1 year old that will be going to college someday. It really rubs me the wrong way when I think of the thousands of dollars in debt my family has (and will) incur purely so that we can "like being D1 in football and other sports."

Bingo!

http://www.shawnee.edu/" target="_blank

[factman]

I think a lot of people are taking the AD's comments in entirely the wrong way. The thought was we need to find additional ways to raise money from sources OUTSIDE, such as corporate sponsorships, private donations, and other NEW sources of revenue. I think he was trying to let us know where his efforts need to be directed, and I certainly agree.
What I do think is that the university and state need to help with the facility maintenance, improvements and upgrades in the athletic department,just as they do with the academic facilities. Athletics are an integral part of the college experience for many students, but not all, just as certain academic areas are not important to all students, but we need to rake care of ALL areas of the university.

[hammb]

I think a lot of people are taking the AD's comments in entirely the wrong way. The thought was we need to find additional ways to raise money from sources OUTSIDE, such as corporate sponsorships, private donations, and other NEW sources of revenue. I think he was trying to let us know where his efforts need to be directed, and I certainly agree.
What I do think is that the university and state need to help with the facility maintenance, improvements and upgrades in the athletic department,just as they do with the academic facilities. Athletics are an integral part of the college experience for many students, but not all, just as certain academic areas are not important to all students, but we need to rake care of ALL areas of the university.

I find it absolutely beyond ludicrous to argue that state tax dollars should now be going to fund athletics. That's even more asinine than the student fees going to support athletics! At least I could have done my research before choosing a college that funneled so much of my tuition to athletics, and I will certainly encourage my son to do that research when I did not.

But now you're telling me I have to move to a different state? Good god...

Oddly enough, I'm actually a big fan of subsidizing higher education, but sports? Please... I love sports. I'm a bigger sports fan than nearly anybody you'll ever meet. And I love BG sports. I will always have my hoops season tickets, and at least follow the other BG sports. But an "integral part of the college experience," that's a BIIIIIG stretch. Even more of a stretch to intimate that it's such an integral part that it should be taxpayer subsidized.

I didn't miss a football game in my 4 years at BG. I probably missed less than 10 basketball games in the 4 years. I went to probably more than half the hockey games. I also attended baseball games and volleyball here and there. I met plenty of people (including many members of this board) solely because we were all big fans of BG Sports. But as tied into BG athletics as I was and I still don't feel I got a good value for my dollars, and I'm betting that more than 90% of the student body would agree with me if they were actually told how much they spend on it.

Honestly though, I should just stop posting on this subject. If people are of the belief that state tax dollars should help fund the athletic departments of institutions that cannot responsibly keep them afloat without that aid we will never see eye to eye and it's pointless to continue this discussion.

[factman]

If you think that way, I agree! Just because I was a science major, I still think the university and state, should support, the business, education, liberal arts colleges, etc, as well as infrastructure,student union, rec center and all other parts of the university, as far as maintenance, upgrade and improvements to ALL facilities that are an integral part of the university experience.

[BGSU33]

I'm in the same boat as some of you are with planning for college funding for my children. It is something I never had myself as I just recently paid off my student loans, and it is something I don't want my kids to deal with upon graduation themselves. I paid for my own education, not my parents, family, etc. That said, I am more than willing to pay for fees at the college of their choice that will go to funding issues such as athletics, constructions of buildings, or a new "this" or "that." I want them to get into and pick the best fit/school and if paying additional fees to something like athletics comes with it, whether they use it or not, then so be it. Many of the things fees are tagged to can actually enhance a student's experience, if they chose to exercise them. At BG, you're paying an athletics fee, you get free admission to games. If you don't want to go to the games, then don't. Looking back at my time at BG, I certainly paid for things I never used, but that was my choice or my fault. I certainly understand not everyone feels that way. But there are other options for looking into colleges if you're hung up on paying fees to athletics, which again, is something that is not unique to BG.

[apollo]

I think a lot of people are taking the AD's comments in entirely the wrong way. The thought was we need to find additional ways to raise money from sources OUTSIDE, such as corporate sponsorships, private donations, and other NEW sources of revenue. I think he was trying to let us know where his efforts need to be directed, and I certainly agree.
What I do think is that the university and state need to help with the facility maintenance, improvements and upgrades in the athletic department,just as they do with the academic facilities. Athletics are an integral part of the college experience for many students, but not all, just as certain academic areas are not important to all students, but we need to rake care of ALL areas of the university.

Unfortunately there aren't many revenue sources for BGSU Athletics that haven't been examined and attempted. Greg Christopher and Chris Kingston said the same thing as Moosebrugger is saying....they shouldn't stop trying, but the money isn't out there short of someone hitting the powerball.

[Schadenfreude]

My understanding is that BGSU hired Moose to put more of an emphasis on fundraising. I'm eager to see what he can do.

[Flipper]

I'm not going to wish ill will or failure on anyone...I hope they are able to raise more $$$. I don't think allocating those $$$ into the current set up would be wise in terms of the potential ROI