Univ. of Michigan AD Warde Manuel said that the football team’s trip to Rome in late April will "wind up costing between $750,000 and $800,000, all of which was covered by an unrestricted financial gift by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous," according to Angelique Chengelis of the DETROIT NEWS. UM coach Jim Harbaugh took the program to Rome after finals for a "week of sightseeing and team bonding, in addition to three spring practices." The trip was "optional for the players and about three dozen went on to participate in three-week study-abroad programs, and internships internationally and in the U.S." Manuel said the trip "was a great investment." Manuel: "It was just terrific. We pay them through an educational experience like Michigan does all the time. I don’t think about it in terms of paying our athletes but if people want to say we should give something to our students of value, I can’t think of a better way to invest in them for their lifetime and their experience." Chengelis notes UM's men’s tennis team "went to France for a week and played in tournaments and dropped by the French Open," while the women’s basketball team is "going to Italy in August." Harbaugh said that he "plans to have the players vote on several trip destination options for next year" (DETROIT NEWS, 6/14).
LIGHTS ON: Chengelis notes UM has seven kickoff times set and "now has two possibilities for night games this season at Michigan Stadium -- Michigan State on Oct. 7 and Minnesota on Nov. 4." Manuel said that it "remains unclear if either or both of those games will be played in primetime." Having networks "deciding on a night game 12 days out is a new component" in the Big Ten's TV deal with Fox, ESPN and Big Ten Network (DETROIT NEWS, 6/14).
