UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M budget

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UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M budget

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Re: UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M bu

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Equestrian, paddle tennis, field hockey, and golf are screwed.
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Re: UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M bu

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The state's finances are an absolute bulging disaster. Pension liabilities are growing exponentially. There is growing sentiment to break union contracts and cut these absurd liabilities. Something has to be done or the state will be insolvent in 5 years.

In Elitist Academia CT, the universities have survived any cuts to this point, but secondary education took a hit last year, and higher education is next to meet the Reaper.

The shameful thing is I love it here - but I might be shutting off the lights if I stay.
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Re: UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M bu

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doncecco wrote:The state's finances are an absolute bulging disaster. Pension liabilities are growing exponentially. There is growing sentiment to break union contracts and cut these absurd liabilities. Something has to be done or the state will be insolvent in 5 years.

In Elitist Academia CT, the universities have survived any cuts to this point, but secondary education took a hit last year, and higher education is next to meet the Reaper.

The shameful thing is I love it here - but I might be shutting off the lights if I stay.
I spent my Navy career based in New London: 2 boats, SUBSCOL instructor. Bought my first home in Colchester. Daughter born in Hartford Hospital. Deacon in Immanuel Congregational Church across from the Mark Twain House, Hartford. I thought one day we’d return. Not anymore.
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Re: UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M bu

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doncecco
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Re: UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M bu

Post by doncecco »

The on-campus/off-campus argument is pointless here. About 75% of CT's population lives west of the East Hartford stadium. They sure as hell aren't driving 22 more miles to go see a bad team play in Willimantic. The students find a way to the stadium when the team is worth watching.

I wonder if the economics are transferable to Tulane. They are suggesting about the same attendance numbers, same conference payouts, etc. Maybe it costs UConn to travel more as the northern-most team with a leauge somewhat more focused west and south, but I can't imaging that's millions.

By the way, I think hoops-crazy Husky fans would salivate at the possibility of rejoining the Big East.
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Re: UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M bu

Post by Baywave1 »

I suspect there is some interesting math going on with the allocation of "expenses" to UConn athletics and the corresponding allocation of "subsidies" by the central administration. Lots of FBS programs don't spend in total what UConn is saying its budget deficit is in athletics.

Key here would be to know what is the actual cash negative cash flow generated by athletics. For example, any athlete on scholarship only "costs" university money to extent he/she is taking place of another student paying tuition. It doesn't cost anything to add a desk to an existing class. However "paper" cost of this is often allocated to athletics. Is UConn athletics (like LSU) having to pay for the band and cheerleaders including academic aid? Tulane doesn't do that nor do many other colleges I suspect.


Example: Top undiscounted tuition at UConn is roughly $40,000. If UConn has say 300 athletes on full scholarship then that is $12,000,000 in non-cash subsidy.

However it does cost to pay coaches and UConn is apparently trying to stiff Ollie on his severance so clearly athletics is under pressure to save wherever it can.


https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... /38807455/


If UConn decides to go FCS and return to BE then perhaps Army is willing to revisit joining AAC for football? Since AAC would not even be required to have 12 teams to have conference championship, it could manage with some scheduling messiness to have only 11 teams play football if it chose. UConn departing creates issues for AAC but doesn't put it over a barrel.

In short , G5 economics are challenging but lots of programs are managing total budgets less than UConn's "published deficit." I suspect even some P5 programs don't expend that much on a cash basis. This seems to me as much political as it is economic to get more money from the state. "The Legislature will pay for football but not a Sociology (or you name the academic discipline) PhD program."


As I said, follow the cash here. That will give the best indicator to how this turns out.
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Re: UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M bu

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Baywave1 wrote: This seems to me as much political as it is economic to get more money from the state. "The Legislature will pay for football but not a Sociology (or you name the academic discipline) PhD program."


As I said, follow the cash here. That will give the best indicator to how this turns out.

Not sure this holds true in CT, considering some of the fiscal decisions made over the past 20 or so years.
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Re: UConn AD won't rule out cutting some sports amid $40M bu

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doncecco wrote:
Baywave1 wrote: This seems to me as much political as it is economic to get more money from the state. "The Legislature will pay for football but not a Sociology (or you name the academic discipline) PhD program."


As I said, follow the cash here. That will give the best indicator to how this turns out.

Not sure this holds true in CT, considering some of the fiscal decisions made over the past 20 or so years.
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