OSU football went 2-10 in '18, the fifth straight year the team had a losing recordGETTY IMAGES
Oregon State this week decided to drop its swimming program, and AD Scott Barnes during a recent radio appearance stressed how a successful football program is vital to the success of the overall athletic program. OSU football went 2-10 in '18, the fifth straight year the team had a losing record. Barnes told KXTG-FM's John Canzano, "When football is right and when it's sustained at a level of success, all the programs succeed." He added the school needs to continue growing its donor base, saying, "We've lost our base. Our football program is at a low point -- it goes without saying -- so building that base back is critical to our success in our goal to be the best and continue to be the best in football and other programs." Barnes added, "We absolutely have to invest more in football. ... Power Five football isn't built on the back of institutional revenue. It's built on the back of great loyal donors and season-ticket holders. We have been building that base, obviously looking for additional revenues downstream from the Pac-12." Barnes noted the athletic department is working on a "financial sustainability plan" that will end a string of finishing in the red. Barnes: "Once we meet that level of balancing our current budget, we'll be able to start to invest more in what we're doing. ... The real key to this for ourselves, as we think about the things that we can control, is turning the dial up on football" ("The Bald Faced Truth," KXTG-FM, 3/5).
