UConn *loses* money going to BCS bowl

[The Sicatoka]

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Connecticut-takes-big-financial-hit-for-Fiesta-Bowl-030211?GT1=39002

Not only did the University of Connecticut lose the New Year's Day Fiesta Bowl, but the cost of appearing in the game burned a $1.8 million hole in the pocket of the school's athletic department, the Daily Campus reported Wednesday.

According to financial records from the Fiesta Bowl, UConn incurred $4.3 million in expenses, while receiving a payout from the Big East of $2.5 million for making it to the prestigious Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game against Oklahoma.

Ouch. 1.8 million ouch.

[nodakvindy]

The dirty little secret of the bowl system is that this isn't an uncommon occurrence. Schools are often on the hook for a lot of tickets, and if you aren't a Nebraska who travels well or an SEC team that is likely playing a bowl close to home, you will eat a lot of those tickets. Attendance at a lot of the bowls is very weak, not unlike the phenomena of early round playoff games at the D-2 and FCS levels.

Bowls exist solely to give ESPN programming in Dec./Jan. People should probably be let in free, much like the studio audiences are for other TV shows.

[jodcon]

Just another example of how they're ruining their precious (now almost month-long) "Bowl Game Oversaturation Extravaganza". With the number of Bowl games up to a staggering 35 this year there were 8 teams who finished the year with LOSING records in Bowl games and another 15 who finished the year 7-6. Who wants to watch that crap? And then they expect these teams to sell a bunch of tickets so they can make some long green while the teams take a big financial hit? Some reward for getting an invite. NC$$ at its best.

I hate to see this happen but maybe this is another step closer to a playoff system, if teams start turning down invites because they can't afford to lose money on Bowl appearances it might make them rethink their stance. On second thought...no it won't.

What gets me about this whole Bowl setup is back in the day there were about a dozen Bowl games, they all had good teams and I watched every one of them. This year there were 35 games and I probably watched about 5 and checked the score once in a while on some others, I just can't get into watching two mediocre teams who have been drilled by every good team they have played battle in a meaningless game. Am I in the minority here?

[UNDershirt]

This has far less to do with the NC$$ and ESPN having control of the bowl games, though the FOX Netowrk has controlled the BCS Bowl games for the last four years (the good ones from back in the day and this particular game), than it does the fact that UConn is a basketball school from with a decent football team in a bad conference that was guaranteed a BCS birth.

They would not continue to create new bowl games (added TicketCity Bowl and Pinstripe Bowl in 2010) if they weren't making money.

They were selected to play in the Fiesta Bowl. The Fiesta Bowl got Oklahoma because they get the winner of the Big 12 every year, providing that they aren't #1 or #2 and playing in the title game. The Fiesta bowl this year got the last pick of the at-large picks. They were stuck with Connecticut, as they won the final BCS Conference.

Connecticut fans had to travel to Arizona to watch their team play while being a 17 point underdog. That is quite a long way to go to watch their team get destroyed. Its like Mich Tech fans coming to UND. They sold 2,000 tickets while they averaged more than 35,000 tickets at home this season.

The night before, their men's basketball team was also playing their first home conference game the night before. If UND was playing in the Independence Bowl how many people would go to that instead of a home hockey game agains Mankato?

The attendance at the game was 67,232 (93% capacity). Of the 35 games, 9 were sellouts. 6 were less than 2/3 capacity.

In the end, they need to examine their collective bargaining agreement with their conference. The Big East got in the neighborhood of $18 million for the appearance.

[jodcon]

Agreed this was a bad situation that UConn got put into which pushed their losses much higher than they would have been, but it's becoming more common to lose money on Bowl appearances even if you're a decent team, the article stated that Virginia Tech lost $2.2 million playing Miami in the Orange Bowl in 2009 and West Virginia lost $1 million playing in the Fiesta Bowl in 2008. It would be interesting to see the final numbers from all 70 teams to see who made or lost money and how much.

[krangodance]

One thing that would help would be to stop giving an automatic BCS berth to the Big East champion. The teams in the Big East may excel in basketball but football is not their thing. Nobody wanted to go watch Oklahoma destroy UConn.

If a Big East team has a good season then they can get in as an at large team but the auto-bid has to go.

[Smoggy]

The dirty little secret of the bowl system is that this isn't an uncommon occurrence. Schools are often on the hook for a lot of tickets, and if you aren't a Nebraska who travels well or an SEC team that is likely playing a bowl close to home, you will eat a lot of those tickets. Attendance at a lot of the bowls is very weak, not unlike the phenomena of early round playoff games at the D-2 and FCS levels.

Bowls exist solely to give ESPN programming in Dec./Jan. People should probably be let in free, much like the studio audiences are for other TV shows.

The secondary internet markets for tickets have really hurt these teams for trying to sell their alloted and paid for tickets. They can't get rid of their block of tickets for full price when fans can get on StubHub and get a ticket for cheaper.

[redwing77]

One thing that would help would be to stop giving an automatic BCS berth to the Big East champion. The teams in the Big East may excel in basketball but football is not their thing. Nobody wanted to go watch Oklahoma destroy UConn.

If a Big East team has a good season then they can get in as an at large team but the auto-bid has to go.

I am actually in favor of getting rid of all automatic bids.

It will eliminate the "Little sisters of the poor" argument and lead to the best situation of all: Playoffs.

Why?

Because then teams like BSU and TCU will get NC consideration and teams that are 6-6 will be doing the right thing: studying for finals or doing other things other than football. Weak teams will make Bowl berths and thus, kill the bowls even without the financial debacle going on.

Then they'll start a playoff system and we'll be happy that there is a real #1 team.

Just don't make the mistake the DI Basketball folks make: 165 teams make the NCAA tourney and if you are one of the 110 teams left out, you make the NIT.

And let's just say if your record is .500 or worse, plan on spending Christmas and New Years at home with family.

[HowBoutThemBison?]

Agreed this was a bad situation that UConn got put into which pushed their losses much higher than they would have been, but it's becoming more common to lose money on Bowl appearances even if you're a decent team, the article stated that Virginia Tech lost $2.2 million playing Miami in the Orange Bowl in 2009 and West Virginia lost $1 million playing in the Fiesta Bowl in 2008. It would be interesting to see the final numbers from all 70 teams to see who made or lost money and how much.

I gave a speech on this topic and while this one source I used was about ten years old I am guessing it is only getting worse. 18 of 38 team who REPORTED their income/deficit, lost money. Keep in mind that is not all teams play bowls. If your not a school with a big following or tradition, your kind of boned....

[HowBoutThemBison?]

I am actually in favor of getting rid of all automatic bids.

It will eliminate the "Little sisters of the poor" argument and lead to the best situation of all: Playoffs.

Why?

Because then teams like BSU and TCU will get NC consideration and teams that are 6-6 will be doing the right thing: studying for finals or doing other things other than football. Weak teams will make Bowl berths and thus, kill the bowls even without the financial debacle going on.

Then they'll start a playoff system and we'll be happy that there is a real #1 team.

Just don't make the mistake the DI Basketball folks make: 165 teams make the NCAA tourney and if you are one of the 110 teams left out, you make the NIT.

And let's just say if your record is .500 or worse, plan on spending Christmas and New Years at home with family.

Division 1 basketball has the most popular and most profitable system. 68 teams out of like 350 some. It is great, too bad my brackets always get crushed.

[Boomer 40AAA]

I gave a speech on this topic and while this one source I used was about ten years old I am guessing it is only getting worse. 18 of 38 team who REPORTED their income/deficit, lost money. Keep in mind that is not all teams play bowls. If your not a school with a big following or tradition, your kind of boned....

That source you speak of is ten years old,which is about the same amount of time you graced the earth.Before you get banned please say say hi to ma and pa,they should be proud of your accomplishments.Don't forget to greet lakes,mnpls.and rocky.