Worst-Case Scenario with the Football Program

[Charleston Pony]

TCU Frog Club had 7,178 members in 2012 4 1/2 times more than the SMU Mustang Club if Charleston's numbers were right

got my number from the 2014 Mustang Club report. Might be up a little due to the Larry Brown/SMU bball season ticket effect but I doubt we are at 2000 yet

[StallionsModelT]

The reality that some on here don't want to acknowledge is that the university cannot and will not continue to subsidize the athletic department. One of the major reasons RGT was so active in the Big East conversations was the TV revenue that we thought we'd get to offset the millions of dollars that the university gives to the athletic department due to our enormous deficits. We thought we'd get anywhere from $8-$12M/year in TV money and we got chump change. Combine that with the new stipend rules that the P5 are going to adopt and now we are talking about a financial disaster.

Here's the sobering reality. Our wealthy older donors are the only ones who are keeping SMU football at the D1A level. What happens in 2024 when several of these older donors are either dead or no longer have any interest in the football program? What happens if this next head coach does the same or, God forbid, worse than June Jones? What if we are sitting here in 2020 and we've reverted back to our typical 3 or 4 win seasons?

It isn't time to quit yet. But I will tell you honestly it is something that the university is keeping their eyes on for the long-term. Unless we are able to have a breakout season with 9 plus wins and show some sustainable play that will allow us to get our attendance at or near 20K to 25K average in the next several years then I think it becomes a serious issue that SMU will have to face. Every program in this state is in a football arms race to be nationally relevant. That includes facilities, coaches, recruiting, conference affiliation, etc. Does SMU have the stomach for that fight? Does SMU have any real, tangible desire to be engaged in that fight? What evidence do we have that SMU administrators and influential alumni/BOT members will hold the football program to a higher standard than mediocrity?

Again, I'm not saying its time to quit. I think we've got another 5 to 10 years to get this right. But if we are sitting here in a decade and no real progress has been made then yes I think it might be time to shut it down and be a basketball school. At least have a shot at being great in something along with top tier academics.

[footballdad]

The reality that some on here don't want to acknowledge is that the university cannot and will not continue to subsidize the athletic department. One of the major reasons RGT was so active in the Big East conversations was the TV revenue that we thought we'd get to offset the millions of dollars that the university gives to the athletic department due to our enormous deficits. We thought we'd get anywhere from $8-$12M/year in TV money and we got chump change. Combine that with the new stipend rules that the P5 are going to adopt and now we are talking about a financial disaster.

Here's the sobering reality. Our wealthy older donors are the only ones who are keeping SMU football at the D1A level. What happens in 2024 when several of these older donors are either dead or no longer have any interest in the football program? What happens if this next head coach does the same or, God forbid, worse than June Jones? What if we are sitting here in 2020 and we've reverted back to our typical 3 or 4 win seasons?

It isn't time to quit yet. But I will tell you honestly it is something that the university is keeping their eyes on for the long-term. Unless we are able to have a breakout season with 9 plus wins and show some sustainable play that will allow us to get our attendance at or near 20K to 25K average in the next several years then I think it becomes a serious issue that SMU will have to face. Every program in this state is in a football arms race to be nationally relevant. That includes facilities, coaches, recruiting, conference affiliation, etc. Does SMU have the stomach for that fight? Does SMU have any real, tangible desire to be engaged in that fight? What evidence do we have that SMU administrators and influential alumni/BOT members will hold the football program to a higher standard than mediocrity?

Again, I'm not saying its time to quit. I think we've got another 5 to 10 years to get this right. But if we are sitting here in a decade and no real progress has been made then yes I think it might be time to shut it down and be a basketball school. At least have a shot at being great in something along with top tier academics.

Only problem with the 'basketball school' argument is that once Brown retires all bets are off there as well.

[redpony]

IMO a great solution to the deficit problem with the athletic dept. is the establishment of a specific
Athletic Endowment fund similar to Stanford. The sooner this is created the sooner that the expenses will no longer be a burden on the university. If RGT doesn't want that then he has no right to beatch about the deficit.

[StallionsModelT]

All bets are off with any school like us if their legendary coach calls it quits. The hope at least with basketball is that a winning foundation will have been laid here by LB and we won't have the financial Titanic that is the football program dragging this thing down. Not to mention if we are able to get some tourney bids and some success the Moody atmosphere will continue to be a huge hit in Dallas. But yes once Brown leaves we may well revert back to the norm. That is a risk that Butler, Gonzaga, Georgetown, George Mason, Wichita State, etc. share as well.

[gostangs]

Disagree with you on that one. As long as we have David Miller we will have nationally competitive basketball - now that we have had a taste of it. There was no better investment in our university history then ramping up the staff in basketball.

[Big12Mustang]

Disagree with you on that one. As long as we have David Miller we will have nationally competitive basketball - now that we have had a taste of it. There was no better investment in our university history then ramping up the staff in basketball.

Getting a top notch coach and staff for football would top hoops and be a better investment.

[Big12Mustang]

All bets are off with any school like us if their legendary coach calls it quits. The hope at least with basketball is that a winning foundation will have been laid here by LB and we won't have the financial Titanic that is the football program dragging this thing down. Not to mention if we are able to get some tourney bids and some success the Moody atmosphere will continue to be a huge hit in Dallas. But yes once Brown leaves we may well revert back to the norm. That is a risk that Butler, Gonzaga, Georgetown, George Mason, Wichita State, etc. share as well.

Football actually makes enough revenue to pay for itself and pay for other sports...its the "other sports" that are the financial titanic.

[fifty]

All schools' other sports are financial titanics. Unfortunately u need 84 womens sports to be d1 and title9 compliant. Do you think tcu's rifle team pays for itself?

[WildBillPony]

Abrogate Title 9, re-instate mens' track and baseball, then some of these football recruits might take notice.

[fifty]

When we dump equestrian(1), we should add women's triathlon and sand volleyball. We would be top25 in both.

Edit: I originally intended this to be a snide comment but on second thought it actually makes some sense.

1- http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-news/ ... trian.aspx