(09-21-2015 07:22 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  We are not ad buying this year because of the cost of attendance and the other increased expenses.
C-USA is not providing the revenue that was expected when we made the move largely because of the the decrease in NCAA basketball units. We are also still paying our entrance fee. Memphis' Final Four units fell off this year which is reducing everyone's bottom line this fiscal year. This is why basketball scheduling is so important to help us get multiple teams back in the Dance.
All of this is the reason why we got the Bama game and are playing two guarantees in the same season. Bottom line is we are hurting for money because of all of these unexpected variables so there is little that can be done on the marketing at least in the ad buying arena.
That said this is why all of the things that I have written about on BRZ and DNJ opeds are more important now more than ever. But I'm just a good idea fairy so the athletic Dept won't listen. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things we could be doing that have minimal or no costs that we are not doing.

Dirty little secret for you , you're not going to make any money playing DI athletics; esp. if you're trying to keep up with the big boys. The pay-off is the intangible of increased university profile and perception. So shut-up and go out and beat Vandy; that'll be priceless.

(09-22-2015 07:20 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(09-21-2015 07:22 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  We are not ad buying this year because of the cost of attendance and the other increased expenses.
C-USA is not providing the revenue that was expected when we made the move largely because of the the decrease in NCAA basketball units. We are also still paying our entrance fee. Memphis' Final Four units fell off this year which is reducing everyone's bottom line this fiscal year. This is why basketball scheduling is so important to help us get multiple teams back in the Dance.
All of this is the reason why we got the Bama game and are playing two guarantees in the same season. Bottom line is we are hurting for money because of all of these unexpected variables so there is little that can be done on the marketing at least in the ad buying arena.
That said this is why all of the things that I have written about on BRZ and DNJ opeds are more important now more than ever. But I'm just a good idea fairy so the athletic Dept won't listen. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things we could be doing that have minimal or no costs that we are not doing.

Dirty little secret for you , you're not going to make any money playing DI athletics; esp. if you're trying to keep up with the big boys. The pay-off is the intangible of increased university profile and perception. So shut-up and go out and beat Vandy; that'll be priceless.

With increasing emphasis on decreasing subsidy for athletics and the increased costs we're not trying to make money. We're just trying to prevent from having to fold up the tent.

(09-22-2015 07:29 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  With increasing emphasis on decreasing subsidy for athletics and the increased costs we're not trying to make money. We're just trying to prevent from having to fold up the tent.

Come on. You guys lead the All Sports rankings every year. If you guys were really that hard-up, you'd cut programs to fund football. I'm not buying your poor-mouth gripes, besides, this is talk for the off-season anyways.

You gunna beat Illinois this week? maybe hang 70 on 'em.

I am not so sure there is not money being made. The whole UAB thing was pretty eye opening as to how the accounting is done. The O'Bannon suit as well. Like charging the athletic dept full price for things that just are returned to the schools coffers for things like office space or food. Read all the stuff by Andy Schwarz if you haven't already. I realize COA has changed the game because it is a new direct expense but there is a reason schools that aren't run by political crooks(UAB)are racing to add football not take it away

(09-22-2015 07:40 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(09-22-2015 07:29 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  With increasing emphasis on decreasing subsidy for athletics and the increased costs we're not trying to make money. We're just trying to prevent from having to fold up the tent.

Come on. You guys lead the All Sports rankings every year. If you guys were really that hard-up, you'd cut programs to fund football.

We aren't Marshall. This is exactly one of the reasons why we are struggling financially. We try to "fund" every sport to be competitive.

(09-22-2015 07:40 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  I'm not buying your poor-mouth gripes, besides, this is talk for the off-season anyways.

The question was about attendance, which is largely driven by two factors. Wins and marketing. I didn't bring up marketing issues, but it's a fact we are not doing anything in this space due to financial obligations.

(09-22-2015 07:40 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  You gunna beat Illinois this week? maybe hang 70 on 'em.

Maybe and no. If we make mistakes on offense like we did against Bama we won't win. If we play a clean game we have a good shot.

(09-22-2015 07:40 AM)FIUFan Wrote:  

(09-22-2015 07:29 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  With increasing emphasis on decreasing subsidy for athletics and the increased costs we're not trying to make money. We're just trying to prevent from having to fold up the tent.

Come on. You guys lead the All Sports rankings every year. If you guys were really that hard-up, you'd cut programs to fund football. I'm not buying your poor-mouth gripes, besides, this is talk for the off-season anyways.

You gunna beat Illinois this week? maybe hang 70 on 'em.

Beating the Illini should give us a local boost. Should.

The #1 problem at Middle Tennessee isn't what you would think.

We were slowly, very slowly growing our donor base through the Blue Raider Athletic Association. When the recession hit in 2009, we lost a lot of donors over the next few years and the ones that did stay were reducing their giving in a lot of cases. Further mismanagement of that program snowballed resulting in a massive decrease to that balance sheet. We are struggling financially.

It's one of the reasons why the AD was almost fired last year and he applied for the Georgia State job. The President and AD relationship is not strong anymore. The President wanted changes in the BRAA staff and the AD didn't want to do it. I don't know this for a fact, but I believe he was given an ultimatum to fire or be fired. I would imagine that he has some additional ultimatums for meeting fundraising goals as well and if he doesn't meet them may face termination. Things are not as pretty underneath as they appear on the surface.

ughh, how I hate attendance talk.

(09-21-2015 07:22 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  We are not ad buying this year because of the cost of attendance and the other increased expenses.

C-USA is not providing the revenue that was expected when we made the move largely because of the the decrease in NCAA basketball units. We are also still paying our entrance fee. Memphis' Final Four units fell off this year which is reducing everyone's bottom line this fiscal year. This is why basketball scheduling is so important to help us get multiple teams back in the Dance.

All of this is the reason why we got the Bama game and are playing two guarantees in the same season. Bottom line is we are hurting for money because of all of these unexpected variables so there is little that can be done on the marketing at least in the ad buying arena.

That said this is why all of the things that I have written about on BRZ and DNJ opeds are more important now more than ever. But I'm just a good idea fairy so the athletic Dept won't listen. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things we could be doing that have minimal or no costs that we are not doing.

Just wait until all of the basketball units expire and our new tv contract is signed. You will really know what hurt feels like then.

Meh for us it will still be an upgrade from the belt.

(09-22-2015 08:05 AM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  The #1 problem at Middle Tennessee isn't what you would think.

We were slowly, very slowly growing our donor base through the Blue Raider Athletic Association. When the recession hit in 2009, we lost a lot of donors over the next few years and the ones that did stay were reducing their giving in a lot of cases. Further mismanagement of that program snowballed resulting in a massive decrease to that balance sheet. We are struggling financially.

It's one of the reasons why the AD was almost fired last year and he applied for the Georgia State job. The President and AD relationship is not strong anymore. The President wanted changes in the BRAA staff and the AD didn't want to do it. I don't know this for a fact, but I believe he was given an ultimatum to fire or be fired. I would imagine that he has some additional ultimatums for meeting fundraising goals as well and if he doesn't meet them may face termination. Things are not as pretty underneath as they appear on the surface.

Cue the McPhee haters and Massaro apologists...

(09-22-2015 08:18 AM)eager eagle Wrote:  Just wait until all of the basketball units expire and our new tv contract is signed. You will really know what hurt feels like then.

Thanks to UAB we got some last year. Hopefully there are more on the way!

(09-21-2015 05:18 PM)TeKERaider Wrote:  I think the only reason to devalue your product like that is to introduce it to a potential customer base that is unfamiliar with the product. I just don't believe there is a base of people that are unfamiliar with our product that you will draw with cheap tickets that would also give you a ROI once the cheap tix went away.

Sure. I totally get the economic side of things. I guess where I disagree is I think there is a potential customer base that is unfamiliar with our product.

I get it though. We po', but we proud.

I am neither. I like McPhee. I wouldn't consider myself an apologist for CM but I am not unhappy with the job he has done. I was never an AF fan so I welcomed the change. I think we are moving in a positive direction there. There have been some setbacks but change is hard. I think we are moving forward. Time will tell.