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Did anyone else see the report that the University of Maryland, in an effort to get a grip on a huge athletic deficit, has received a recommendation from the commission designed to sort out the athletic department's finances to drop 8 of 27 varsity sports?

"The teams targeted for elimination are all three men’s track teams (indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, cross-country); men’s swimming and diving; women’s swimming and diving; men’s tennis; women’s water polo; and aerobics and tumbling (formerly known as competitive cheer)."

That's pretty scary, really. I always think of Maryland, as a member of a big-money conference with big-money bowl payouts and football/basketball TV contracts, as being fairly financially solvent, or at least close to it.

This doesn't even take into account the truckloads of money Maryland gets from Under Armor.

I would have no problem dropping men's swimming, equestrian, rowing. No reason to even have those sports. (sorry Water Pony)

Whatever would equal out for Men's / Women's programs. Too costly to keep supporting all these programs. Men's track can't cost a whole lot to maintain?

GiddyUp wrote:I would have no problem dropping men's swimming, equestrian, rowing. No reason to even have those sports. (sorry Water Pony)

Whatever would equal out for Men's / Women's programs. Too costly to keep supporting all these programs. Men's track can't cost a whole lot to maintain?

We can keep them, some of them are very ivy league sports. We just need to move our sports in a cost effective spot. I dont know how to do it, but Im sure our school can manage it.

Most athletic departments operate in massive debt.

There used to only be about 7 schools who operated in the black. With all of the BCS money and new TV contracts, it is now up to around 15. (This number will continue to grow though, as most of the new giant contracts have just started to kick in.)

Still, the vast majority of athletic departments are in the red. As far as Maryland, they haven't ever been very good in football, which is the only thing that makes real money (with the exception of a few basketball schools.) Plus, the ACC tv contract for football was pretty bad until this last round, and that money probably hasn't started flowing in yet.

Even if our Big East cut only amounts to $4-5 mil, it is still better than $1.5 mil.

Like what huskerpony said,
Any money we get from BE is more than we are getting now. Can only be a plus.

Well we all know non AQ virtually guarantees financial instability. I'll take my chances with AQ.

GiddyUp wrote:I would have no problem dropping men's swimming, equestrian, rowing. No reason to even have those sports. (sorry Water Pony)

Whatever would equal out for Men's / Women's programs. Too costly to keep supporting all these programs. Men's track can't cost a whole lot to maintain?

You love the swimmers tent

So I had a meeting with SMU's general counsole, The BE is estimating they will see at a minimum 10 million (assuming a 12 team split) for the next tv deal, They also think it could go as high as 15 because of what the way the market is shaping up (they think NBC will be willing to over pay to become a major college fb provider) obviously this is part of their pitch and deserves some skepticism. SMU's financial problems go away with that type of money. Hell he believes they go away at the current 5 million level they would receive under the current deal.

Pony_Law wrote:So I had a meeting with SMU's general counsole, The BE is estimating they will see at a minimum 10 million (assuming a 12 team split) for the next tv deal, They also think it could go as high as 15 because of what the way the market is shaping up (they think NBC will be willing to over pay to become a major college fb provider) obviously this is part of their pitch and deserves some skepticism. SMU's financial problems go away with that type of money. Hell he believes they go away at the current 5 million level they would receive under the current deal.

What he said.

If the BE TV deal is 15M a year per team I will cream in my pants.

Can't believe I am the new SMT

That's great ... depending on where the money goes.

1. Athletic marketing department -- create one
Seriously. Other schools do it. They want their cities to know they have games.

2. Indoor practice facility
This goes without saying. Every day practice gets rained out or the guys have to practice in crazy cold (pre-bowl games) is inexcusable.

3. Soccer facility
The current playing surface is pretty nice, but the seating and lighting are atrocious.

4. New natatorium
This has been needed for decades, and the fact that it hasn't been addressed already is embarrassing.

5. Track
Coach Wollman has done a heroic job with fewer resources than the intramural department.

6. Support staff
There are so many people behind the scenes (there once was a day when SMU even marketed its athletic department ... it was incredible) who need more staff, better salaries and more resources for their departments.

7. More marketing

smupony94 wrote:Can't believe I am the new SMT

i can. it's like "The Ring". you watch the tape?

smupony94 wrote:Can't believe I am the new SMT

You have always been a closet SMT

NTTIAWWT

GiddyUp wrote:I would have no problem dropping men's swimming, equestrian, rowing. No reason to even have those sports. (sorry Water Pony)

GiddyUp,

Swimming is one of the few sports were we can truly become a consistent Top 10 program, I wouldn't write them off so quickly.