The most encouraging thing I've read about SMU in awhile..

[RGV Pony]

today's DMN:

Pony up: Bennett kept referencing "commitment" Friday. He estimated that SMU has poured more funds into the program this year than all of his previous years combined.

A lot of us have said $ talks. Let's hope it keeps going.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

does this mean stallion finally joined the mustang club?

[Stallion]

Hell no that's not the commitment that is needed. Based upon listening to his extended news conference on All-Access this is all "Inside Baseball" stuff. SMU has generally thrown more money at its athletic program than 75% of its conference opponents. Its nice-its not what I have ever listed as an essential requirement of the Model necessary to compete. Schools on a much smaller budget have been beating SMU's [deleted] for years because they understand the requirements of Division 1A Football. Ford Stadium is nice too. But every school in our Division has accomplished more with lesser facilities-now how did that happen?

[Hilltopper]

.... SMU has generally thrown more money at its athletic program than 75% of its conference opponents....

Oh please. Maybe you're right, but SMU has a notoriously small budget. The arrivals of Steve-O, Coach Doherty, etc., are starting to change that, we hope, but I highly doubt we have a bigger athletic budget than just about anyone, with the possible exception of Tulane, which obviously has more pressing issues on which to spend its financial resources. Off the top of my head, I'd bet we spend less on our athletic program than UTEP, Cougar High, Rice, Memphis, Southern Miss, East Carolina, UAB — hardly 75 percent.

However, I certainly accept the idea that I might be wrong. What kind of budget numbers do you have for SMU and other schools? Where do you find your information?

[Stallion]

you'd bet wrong.

[Stallion]

2005 Numbers Budgets, Expenses Profit/Loss


ECU- $18,348,402, $18,953,415, ($605,013)
Houston- $13,895,125, $22,988,169, ($9,093,044)
Marshall- $16,461,176, $15,790,932, $670,244
Memphis- $22,503,541, $22,503,541, 0
Rice- $22,960,918, $22,023,913, $937,005
SMU- $28,468,000, $28,468,000, 0
USM- $16,688,977, $15,949,369, $739,608
Tulane- $20,625,000, $12,157,000, $8,468,000
Tulsa- $17,050,281, $17,075,459, ($25,178)
UAB- $15,454,090, $15,454,090, 0
UCF- $18,900,617, $19,145,665, ($245,048)
UTEP- $12,441,210, $13,173,731, ($732,521)

[PonyKai]

And that's under the Copeland era. Want to bet that it's increased just a little bit with Orsini?

[ponyte]

2005 Numbers Budgets, Expenses Profit/Loss


ECU- $18,348,402, $18,953,415, ($605,013)
Houston- $13,895,125, $22,988,169, ($9,093,044)
Marshall- $16,461,176, $15,790,932, $670,244
Memphis- $22,503,541, $22,503,541, 0
Rice- $22,960,918, $22,023,913, $937,005
SMU- $28,468,000, $28,468,000, 0
USM- $16,688,977, $15,949,369, $739,608
Tulane- $20,625,000, $12,157,000, $8,468,000
Tulsa- $17,050,281, $17,075,459, ($25,178)
UAB- $15,454,090, $15,454,090, 0
UCF- $18,900,617, $19,145,665, ($245,048)
UTEP- $12,441,210, $13,173,731, ($732,521)

Exactly what are included in the budgets? One would be interested to know if all budgeted items are the same for each institution. Are insurances liabilities carried the same (different states and public vs. non public institutions). How are tuition and fees budgeted? Is there a difference in tuition, fees, room and board and so forth in the various budgeting processes?

For all the numbers published, without the budget details, one is hard pressed to determine if budget/expenses/profit/loss are calculated the same. If SMU's budget went up by $1,000,000 from one year to the next, do we know if it went to marketing? Liability insurance? Increase in tuition? Addition of another woman's quota sport to be in compliance with Title IX quotas?

Also, one needs to know revenues to determine profit/loss (which may be Earn Income over Expenses for a non profit like SMU). Are we comfortable estimating profit (EROE)/loss based on a Budget?

In addition, the budget/expenses coming to $0 is highly suspicious. One would imagine the auditors would be very interested in that outcome.

[Hal]

Where did those numbers come from?

My understanding was that part of Orsini's job was to get the athletic department out of the habit of operating at what was called "a huge deficit." If the athletic department broke even, there would have been some kind of an announcement, so they could tout that accomplishment while waiting for the football wins to arrive, and drive the economics in a more profitable direction.

[tristatecoog]

Interesting figures. Tulane recently cut some sports (before Katrina) but has operated at a huge surplus?

[Pony Fan]

As usual, stallion continues to look backwards. He posted 2005 numbers.

[perunapower]

As usual, stallion continues to look backwards. He posted 2005 numbers.

Before you get too wild and crazy with your Stallion-hate, did you consider the possibility that 2006 numbers haven't been released as of yet?

[PK]

Still waiting to hear what the source was for these numbers. SMU has been running a deficit for years,,,yeah, the University picks up the difference and maybe that explains the big goose egg for profit/loss, but then I would assume the other schools do the same.

[Stallion]

it was off the internet-other numbers over at least 5 years have consistently shown the same thing-you find something different if you don't believe me. The same type of numbers have been posted on these forums numerous times which is why I made the statement before I even had to check. Look at the schools we have competed against in the WAC and CUSA. 20 years ago we would have laughed at even playing these schools except for UH. Why is this such a surprise?

[Stallion]

Here is another one posted in 2003 on a WAC board showing the same type of info.


Athletic budgets:

Fresno 21,311,855
SMU 18,386,240
Rice 18,384,949
Hawaii 18,339,130
Tulsa 14,372,346
Boise 12,644,097
Nevada 12,201,160
San Jose 11,597,708
UTEP 10,635,400
Tech 8,573,121