(07-17-2013 01:06 PM)Bearcat T Wrote: UC is the best of the rest two top 25 teams already with the budget you point out actually an amazing feat!
There is no arguing that UC is one of the best of the rest alongside Boise St, BYU, and UConn. With that said, being one of the best of the rest and being a desirable/financially viable addition aren't necessarily the same thing. While conference expansion is based on a lot of different factors (geography, academics, athletic profile, market, etc), the most important one is whether the addition of a school can generate sufficient money to make expansion worthwhile. Rutgers athletic profile is quite underwhelming and they certainly weren't one of the best of the rest when they were invited to the Big 10. However, the Big 10 believed they could monetize Rutgers location and so they became a desirable expansion candidate. UofL wasn't selected by the Big 12 or ACC for expansion because neither viewed UofL has a money maker for the conference (ACC added UofL as a replacement which is different).
Money isn't the only factor, but it is what matters the most.
(07-17-2013 01:06 PM)Bearcat T Wrote: They would increase the budget by at least 10 million the day we were invited if not by 20 million.
That is true for every other school wanting to get into the ACC. UofL's budget will increase by at least 10 million when it joins the ACC simply due to the conference's better TV deal. UC shouldn't have to count on conference affiliation to increase its athletic budget. It needs to be able to raise its athletic budget on its own and show that it has an appropriate amount of fan and corporate support.
(07-17-2013 01:06 PM)Bearcat T Wrote: The attendance last year was screwed by the fact TCU and or WVU did not come to town and we played two lower level teams.
Fans should come to the game to watch UC play. Having to rely on opponents to increase home attendance or fill the stadium is not a promising sign.
(07-17-2013 01:06 PM)Bearcat T Wrote: As far as the Shoe goes we have 16 luxury boxes already more than most campus arenas
UC's standard shouldn't be "most campus arenas". Quite frankly, most campus arenas in D1 basketball are glorified high school gymnasiums. What UC needs to do is find a way to increase its athletic budget and selling luxury suites is one of the best ways to do it.
(07-17-2013 01:06 PM)Bearcat T Wrote: Our endowment like all fluctuates but is a billion dollarson average. We have potential corporate donors waiting for the invite to become even more involved.
#1. Endowment size matters very little to the size of the athletic budget. This was explained in an earlier post.
#2. The "potential corporate donors" line was parroted by a lot of Memphis fans before they were invited to the Big East. FedEx, AutoZone, the Liberty Bowl, etc were all just waiting on that invite and as soon as it came, they would all dump loads of cash into Memphis and the Big East. Guess how many of those potential corporate donors materialized?
Potential means
absolutely nothing until it actually materialize. Potential donations don't fund facilities, restore scholarships, or increase the athletic budget; that is what actual donors do. UC might have a ton of potential corporate donors, but unless they actually get those individuals to give money, they really doesn't mean jack.
(07-17-2013 01:06 PM)Bearcat T Wrote: You should come visit the worlds top 25 most beautiful campus in the world. Most of the new 70 million dollar project the U Square is about finished and it compliments the campus like not much I have ever seen bordering a campus.
None of those things is a reason to expand and take UC. The ACC can't monetize a pretty campus or a mixed use housing facility.