https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-womens-basketball/hc...

This story says they are on the hook for Kevin Ollie and Geno Auriema for 32M in salaries.

As we’ve discussed before, there are a handful of programs that really make money overall. The danger is paying when you’re not in that league.

I remember a few years ago when Kirby was treated like the devil incarnate because he cut programs. Sadly maybe that should be done again. Play all the sports that can Reasonably be done at the club level. Ice hockey seems to be doing quite well, but I have no idea how much if any support the U gives for that, but why not look at it.
The MAC should probably cut the number of required varsity sports. This model isn’t working.

We haven’t really been caught up with many G-5 leagues in terms of salaries, but when Frank and his seemingly captive coaches leave, one wonders where we’re go.

Jeff, I completely agree with you.

While I agree with pretty much everything you said it would interesting what the feeling here would be if Saul had worked out and we were still winning 25 games a year.

I don't really care if we are relevant on the national stage as long as we are in a conference that we are competitive. I've watched only a handful of Ohio games this year live because I'm going to high school games instead and I'm enjoying every minute of it. I don't need to watch NBA caliber players to be entertained. If the MAC decided to punt and drop to the level of the Atlantic Sun or Patriot Leagues I'd be fine with that. The P5s have rigged both major sports to eliminate or minimize the abilities of mids to compete. Some will point to Buffalo as proof that mids can compete but all I can say is talk to me five years from now. I can only think of one mid that has been able to stay relevant without really ramping up the budget and that's St. Mary's and that's a special case.

We are definitely in desperate times. The consolidation into the P5 was a desperate money grab to pay off debt. Next phase of crisis I believe is the P5 splitting from the NCAA all together and start paying players because the TV money is going to get hallowed out as streaming takes over thus they'll look to total control of the post season as a last ditch effort to increase revenue. Then Ohio could be left behind to continue on in D1 with the other 290 schools but now with real a chance of winning an national championship in a sport with the high resource P5 out of there. Big East, AAC, MAC, MWC ect. all have conference TV deals that can continue on and so can march madness without the P5. This is just one split scenario. Another might have FBS splitting to form a new division 1 where the MAC is included with the P5. More or less its going to be either stay at the top level or be at the top level of the left behinds in D1, neither of which is a step back.

Kinda why I argue for why not go FCS? You still get the benefits of March Madness and dare I say it, you actually have an equal shot at the College Football Playoffs at the FCS Level. Not only that, if we wanted to we could still take guarantee games on the road against power programs.

Only problem is that while your expenses are a little less in the FCS world, your income is a lot less, and you actually have a greater debt problem. LC has posted the details on this many times on the football forum. PM him if you want the complete analysis.

The MAC won't go to FCS when as a G5 it has better facilities than all but a few programs at the FCS level, more scholarships and more talented players including over 100 in the NFL. Even if the P5 left the NCAA, the MAC, AAC, MWC, CUSA and SBC I'm sure will continue in the FBS subdivision and continue to play bowl games with 85 scholarships just to keep its rank over FCS conferences.

I admit, I gripe about it because the system is stacked against G5 schools. But I have continually spouted for FCS on the route of scholarships and expenditures. I mean no offense, is a G5 TV deal worth all that much? When our negotiation window opens up again, you think we're in a better spot than Conference USA or the Sun Belt? I don't see the financial value of the MAC so dropping down may make a tinge of a difference when the contract opens up and ESPN (or whoever it is) dictate the terms to us. Not only that, bowl games are about to become a liability again to our athletic department budget and if you want to tell me that they are such great marketing tools and such, fine. Just make sure you remember to pay $60 or whatever BS they charge for a bowl game....excuse me, they gave them away for free, so not like the dept. cares about finances either.

Yeah we complain about not getting a MAC Title, it happens. But I have been in the camp of going FCS for a while from a sheer cost point and allows us to do what we need to do. Heck, if you want to call it small-school division like it was back in the 1950's and 60's, I'm all for that too. It still allows us to go for money games, and allows for us to not take on shenanigan FCS games where we have to pay them WAYYYYYY above market rate.

And about the basketball program, it still allows us to compete for that, where we will make more money if the MAC is actually good and devoted to it. Let's cut the crap that the MAC cares about football. Our resources and support has to be the worst in all of FBS college football.

The MAC picked up 14 million from the playoff system alone which goes away with a move to FCS. Its more than enough to make up for the difference of paying 500k for a MAC coach over 250k for FCS. Then G5 schools make a ton more on buy games, a difference of 1.5 million to 500k tops for FCS. It really is more money, more talent, more exposure to be playing in a G5 over FCS.

How is that $14mil distributed? Equally, or some other way?