Univ. of Texas AD Chris Del Conte in an email to season-ticket holders on Sunday "hinted at budget cuts, or at least a strong belt tightening, for Longhorns athletics in the coming year because of COVID-19," according to Brian Davis of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. Del Conte asked season-ticket holders to consider leaving "all or some of your 2020 Texas Football payment with us as a 100% tax-deductible gift." Davis notes this is the "first public acknowledgement from UT athletics that the worldwide pandemic will likely hurt the athletic department's finances." It is "unclear what kind of budget cuts could be coming, but the school has not announced any coaching salary cuts or job furloughs." Del Conte in previous interviews in May and June said that UT athletics "had time on its side, since the department's fiscal year runs August through July." Now that it is beyond Aug. 1, "hard realities may be setting in" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 8/4).
A LOOK AT LOGISTICS: In San Antonio, Nick Moyle notes UT is "still planning to play its home games at DKR in front of fans this season." Del Conte "hopes the stadium will be able to house" 50% capacity. But interim UT President Jay Hartzell said that discussions are "ongoing about lowering that occupancy ceiling" to 25%. In an effort to safely accommodate fans, the university is taking a number of precautions:
- 225 clean hand sanitizer kiosks will be installed "throughout the stadium."
- All transactions for concessions and merchandise locations at the stadium "will be contactless and cashless (credit cards only)."
- Only mobile tickets "will be accepted and ticket holders must stand at the social-distancing markers near the entry gate."
- Fans and staff "will be required to wear a face covering that covers the nose and mouth completely while inside the stadium" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 8/4).
