UM expects to lose significant attendance this season due to the COVID-19 pandemicGETTY IMAGES
Univ. of Missouri AD Jim Sterk is projecting a 20% "loss in revenue" for the '20-21 sports year -- and that is "with a full football season with some fans in the stands," according to Jeff Gordon of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. MU still is "hurting" after the NCAA punished the school for "run-of-the-mill academic fraud that included a football bowl ban that cost the school upwards" of $10M in shared SEC revenue. The athletic department "could scarcely afford to lose that money after running a deficit the past few years." Earlier this year, Sterk "took a voluntary pay reduction," as did new football coach Eliah Drinkwitz and men's basketball coach Cuonzo Martin. Women's basketball coach Robin Pingeton, wrestling coach Brian Smith and baseball coach Steve Bieser "also took cuts." Additional savings "came through staff salary reductions, furloughs and layoffs." Sterk's goal is to "allow the shield of student-athletes, coaches and the hands-on staff from the financial fallout." However, that "won't be easy," as the football gate is MU's "second biggest source of revenue, behind media rights." The school "expects to lose significant attendance this season," as the pandemic is "preventing Mizzou from enjoying the new-coach bump in football ticket sales." Sterk said, "We're trying to wait until we make that final position as much as we can. It could be anywhere from 50 percent to 75 (percent) to closer to full capacity in some games" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/12).
