Number Of Profitable Football Programs Increased

To 19? WTF?

Without subsidies, athletics departments at 19 of the 119 schools in Division I-A (now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision) made money in fiscal 2006 — up from 18 in '05 and '06 — and 16 did so over the three-year period.

With all the emphasis on money and football, and the fact that you (almost?) never hear about programs folding for financial reasons, this sounds like some fuzzy accounting to me.

The report showed that for the 67 I-A football programs that showed a program-generated surplus in fiscal year 2006, the average surplus was nearly $8.8 million, while among the 52 programs that showed a deficit, the average deficit was a little more than $2.5 million.

The report also showed that for the 19 I-A athletic departments that showed a surplus in fiscal 2006, the average surplus was nearly $4.3 million, while among the 99 departments that showed a deficit that year, the average deficit was a little more than $8.9 million.

Both gaps have grown since fiscal 2004.

I'm simply not buying that only 19 football programs make money. With an increasing lineup of bowl games, an ever expanding lineup of televised games, and a D1a list that is actually growing, something has to be off here.

For the study, athletics-generated revenues were defined as those from sources such as ticket sales, conference revenue sharing and donations. School-allocated revenues were those from sources such as student fees and direct and indirect institutional support, including utilities and maintenance.

What is the difference between "athletics-generated" and "school-allocated" revenues? Regardless, it doesn't sound like this is taking into account the large boost home games give to the local economy, the way success on the football field can impact the number (and thus quality) of applicants, or, and this I don't get, TV revenue?!?!

Penn State is typically one of the top 15 most profitable programs, netting roughly $26 million a year.

ESPN's Recruiting Update, Old People

Change of plan. Penn State will be given it's own post because, well, this is a Penn State blog. Part II, seriously, will be later today.

Penn State"Unfortunately, the stagnant class could stem from 81-year-old Joe Paterno still hanging in there and not offering the spark often needed to relate to the younger generation of prospects. However, tradition still sells and no one coach in college football represents more tradition than Joe Pa himself."

Big Eleventh says... This is really all a ploy to talk about JoePa's age and, separately, his marketability.

The MSM has reminded us, almost weekly during the season, that Joe is old. They do it again here. Reporters love to comment on how Joe can't "relate to the younger players these days" because it seems to make sense. Problem is, it just isn't true. This years class lacks flash, but just in the last 5 years, off the top of my head, Joe has been able to relate to Connor, Scott, Morelli, Williams and King. All very highly ranked and talked to by dozens of other younger coaches. All chose Penn State. It's not Joe's age that is the problem, it is his style. The problem with saying he's too old is that he has been doing things the same way for 30 years. Almost nothing has changed since his first winning season. His name alone can be enough to win over a recruit, but his style is no longer mainstream and some people just aren't interested. The prospect of waiting 2 or 3 years is becoming more and more of a problem when there are coaches who are willing to plug guys in right away.

As for the marketability comment, I think this guy is on line but his comment is a little misleading. Joe and Graham get along great. Joe likes to coach, and Graham lets him do this. Graham like to make money, and Joe makes this happen. It's never been about football for it's own sake inside Old Main. Each game is really just another fundraising event and if people keep donating regardless of the scoreboard then the scoreboard doesn't matter.

Oh, recruiting, right. We are loaded at linebacker, have a couple of decent RB's out of Ohio, and probably aren't getting Pryor. Ohio State has been to two MNC games in a row and Michigan just landed a very high profile coach...all while we finished our second very average finish in a row. These are our recruiting problems, not old age.

Not that any of you care, but there will be a Part II, I promise.

Target 10?

What the hell is this? No, not the part about Erin Andrews showing up in Happy Valley tomorrow night, something else.

There were two very worthy pictures of Erin, and posting this one was the hardest decision I've made all day

Ah, fuck it.



What the hell was I posting about? Oh ya, Target 10. First of all, this name is terrible. I can't wait to see it printed on thousands of t-shirts with some kind of crappy target on the front.

So, the low down:

Brent Musburger, Steve Lavin and Erin Andrews will be in the Jordan Center for the "Super Tuesday" game that is part of ESPN's "Student Spirit Week." Penn State has issued the "Target 10" challenge asking 10,000 students to pack the arena for the game. If the goal is met, all student ticket sales for Penn State's match-up with No. 10 Michigan State on Saturday will be donated to THON 2008.

So let me get this straight: they are still letting Brent Musburger call games with Erin Andrews? No, sorry, I'm getting off topic again.

In December, Nittany Lion basketball announced the "Target Ten" challenge, a partnership between Penn State Basketball and The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) 2008, that encompasses the Ohio State game on January 29th and Michigan State game, set for February 2nd. Penn State is calling for an unprecedented 10,000 students to pack the Bryce Jordan Center for the nationally televised January 29th showdown with the Buckeyes on ESPN. If the goal of 10,000 student tickets sold is reached, then all proceeds from $5 student single game ticket sales for the following game vs. No. 10 Michigan State (Sat., Feb. 2) will be donated to benefit THON 2008

Penn State is asking students to "support THON" by showing up for the Ohio State game. If they make enough money by coning students into showing up for a horrible basketball game 10,000 people show up, Penn State will donate the ticket proceeds from the following game, against Michigan State.

The following game? Seriously? So you'll cash in on the 10,000+ students that show up for the Ohio State game, but then will totally shaft THON by giving them the proceeds from a game that will earn a small fraction of what you are making tomorrow? I'm no THON cavalier, but this doesn't really add up for me. It's not even the ticket proceeds from the MSU game, but just the $5 student ticket sales from that game.

Using THON to bolster profits? Nice guys. At least you are clever about this whole 'greedy bastard' thing, I have to give you that.

Update: In a move that reeks of desperation, the Big Ten Network (ya, I hate them too) has decided to purchase 1,000 tickets to help make the announced ticket sales number respectable. This thing is becoming laughable. (H/T: BSD, of course)