Anderson has created stability in football and men's basketball with commitments to Edwards and HurleyGETTY IMAGES
Arizona State AD Ray Anderson during the '18-19 academic year "saw his vision intersect with his department's performance ... for the most successful athletic year in recent school history," according to Jeff Metcalfe of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Anderson -- now 5 1/2 years into his tenure as AD -- has as "much stability as possible today in his two money-making sports," with football coach Herm Edwards in place through December '22 and men's basketball coach Bobby Hurley under contract through June '24. That is "especially important" given ASU's $13.1M athletic deficit in '17-18 "due primarily to buying out the remaining years on former football coach Todd Graham's contract." The "good news financially is that revenue from the Novus Innovation Corridor designated for athletic capital projects will begin flowing in the next few years as development is underway on the 330-acre project." Groundbreaking on the new hockey/multi-purpose arena adjacent to Wells Fargo Arena "will take place" in '20. ASU is looking for a "plan to create a 'sports and entertainment zone' around the new arena, all with 'minimal university financial participation.'" How all that plays out and "eventually leads into the renovation of 45-year-old Wells Fargo Arena will be intriguing" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/5).
CUTTING BACK IN OXFORD: 247SPORTS.com's David Johnson noted Ole Miss is "implementing across-the-board budget cuts" of 8.5% throughout its athletic program to "combat recent financial shortfalls." Ole Miss interim AD Keith Carter noted the athletic department budget is around $100M and said, "If you look into rising expenses and revenues being a little bit down because of football season ticket sales and some other things, we just had to take a hard look at our finances" (247SPORTS.com, 7/4). Meanwhile, Carter did "not divulge" the exact number of football season tickets Ole Miss has sold, but he "did confirm those sales have eclipsed the 30,000 mark" (247SPORTS.com, 7/4).
