Football accounted for nearly 70% of the revenue generated by Univ. of Michigan athletics last yearGETTY IMAGES
Only six of 19 Michigan-based colleges that have football programs believe the '20 season will "take place, with one of them adding there could be a delay," according to a survey cited by Sabin & Solari of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. Just five schools "asserted it should be held, with one noting that the decision should be made based on the nation's disease status." The survey polled ADs, communications reps and head coaches about "whether they think a season will be played and whether it should go forward." Eastern Michigan AD Scott Wetherbee said no football season this year "would be devastating" for his program." He added, "It's a huge driver for us. This past year, outside of NCAA distributions, all of our revenue is hinged on football." Meanwhile, Sabin & Solari reported at the Univ. of Michigan, football "accounted for nearly 70%" of the $175M revenue the athletic department generated in '18-19. But without a season, the school's net loss for football alone "could approach" $100M, and for Michigan State, that estimated loss "could reach" $60M (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/6). In Indianapolis, Zach Osterman wrote for D-I athletic departments from the "richest on down, even one year without college football could do lasting economic damage that would threaten to affect those departments down to their foundations" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/5).
WEIGHING OPTIONS: Univ. of Miami AD Blake James said that he "would be fine pushing the start of the season back to as late as February if needed." In Miami, Barry Jackson noted a February-May season "would potentially conflict with the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments and baseball season, among other sports." But that "wouldn't appear to be a major concern" to ADs who "desperately need the money generated by football." James also said that every ACC school lost $2.3M in "annual revenue from the cancellation of the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/4). On his greatest concern facing the UM athletic department over the next six months, James said, "The mental health and well-being of our students and our staff." He added, "This is going to impact every one of us and whether it’s anxiety in dealing with a family member that has contracted the virus or dealing with a situation where a family member may have lost a job or was furloughed. The mental health and well-being after doing our part to bring an end to the pandemic is really something that I think we have to be looking at and really understanding the different challenges everyone is going to face and has already faced." On whether football could be played without fans in attendance, James said, "If you polled fans, I think the majority of them want to be in the stadium. But I think more of them would want to be able to watch the game on TV or wherever it is than to not be able to watch the game at all" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/5).
FEELING THE LOSSES: In Houston, Joseph Duarte noted depending on how long the sports shutdown lasts, the Univ. of Houston is "bracing for a financial hit." There already are "some early signs: a decrease in payout from the NCAA men's basketball tournament, loss of revenue from a partnership with the XFL and the rebooking or cancellation of events scheduled to be held at athletic venues on campus." UH AD Chris Pezman said, "Losing the XFL, that's going to hurt. We were really looking forward to the success they were having." Pezman, who also is the AAC Finance Committee Head, said that the conference's schools are "taking steps to avoid tapping into reserve funds." He said, "We want to hold onto that reserve as long as we can and not access it unless it’s absolutely necessary." However, Pezman warns that any reserve funds "would offer a lifeline but not cover all losses." Pezman: "It would help mitigate it, but it’s not going to cover the full amount" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 4/3). Pitt AD Heather Lyke said, "If we're playing the game, I think we’ll be playing it in front of fans." She concluded, "If there's a concern about human contact, we wouldn't be playing the game" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/4).
