A Little Enlightenment on Revenue

[wizard1]

t-----A couple of things you neglected in your comments on revenue in the Stowell era.

First, there was no ticket maintenance at all. How much did maintenance add to revenue?

Secondly, There was no Civic Center rent paid by BU---All games were on campus. What does this cost BU now?

Thirdly, Scholarships were far,far les costly than they are now.

Fourth, Coaches salaries were far, far less both at BU and elsewhere.

Whenever a coaching change is made or discussed, loss of donor revenue is an old hackneyed argument that simply doesn't holdwater and is not significant except for a very short period afterwhich donations resume and usually grow after the new coach is in the saddle for awhile.

The key to revenue and donations year in and year out is not the coach---Its WINNING!

I've been through this many times and believe me, its true.

[tornado]

I agree with all you said...but still -- the biggest new source of income in the past decade or so is the institution of the maintainence and the BSS...
Just do the math and you'll see these two sources alone account for over $1.5 million yearly in revenue that BU did not have before JL was coach...and BU cannot afford to lose this amount out of a total athletic dept. budget of less than $3 mil.

I know of two very wealthy and very prominent and influential families who were long time BU alums, supporters, and season ticket holders...and one of the families back in the 90's was among the largest donors to the Athletic Dept....

BUT after MO was fired, they were upset, disappeared and have not been back to BU games.....so their loss definitely hurt big time...and I think it would happen even moreso this time around because of all the many current donors and their support for JL.

[Beninator]

Like it or not, I think it is safe to say that maintenance revenue will decrease next year. As for influential donors walking away from BU, I think a sound coaching change would bring back some past disenchanted donors. I have seen that happen as well. If the product on the floor continues to be mediocre at best, the money allocated toward donations will go elsewhere as well.

To a degree, I liken this situation to a girl I know who is a huge Bears fan. During the Ditka era, she enrolled for the season ticket list and had over 400,000 people ahead of her. Then one day during the Wannstedt era, she received a letter in the mail asking if she would like to be a Bears season ticket holder. She accepted the request, and now has no worries about going to the Championship game Sunday.

[wizard1]

Comments re: BSS & Maintenance

t---A couple of additional comments---BU did have maintenance prior to JL. Maintenance actually started when we moved to Carver and Versace was the coach.

Loss of maintenance due to fewer season ticket sales is a possibility during an extended period of mediocrity such as we are having now but this should certainly recover once we get the program back on a winning track. IMO, big donor losses during a coaching change would almost certainly recover since a new coach will also attract loyalty and contributions from big donors once we begin winning.

IMO, the BSS may experience a downward bump at first but it will recover and grow even more once we start winning. IMO, Most BSS people donate because they want great seats; they have an opportunity to get very close to the program, coaches, and kids; they like the half-time goodies; membership massages their egos, and its a tax deduction. A coaching change won't affect this much in the longer term.

[Braves4Life]

t---A couple of additional comments---BU did have maintenance prior to JL. Maintenance actually started when we moved to Carver and Versace was the coach.

Loss of maintenance due to fewer season ticket sales is a possibility during an extended period of mediocrity such as we are having now but this should certainly recover once we get the program back on a winning track. IMO, big donor losses during a coaching change would almost certainly recover since a new coach will also attract loyalty and contributions from big donors once we begin winning.

IMO, the BSS may experience a downward bump at first but it will recover and grow even more once we start winning. IMO, Most BSS people donate because they want great seats; they have an opportunity to get very close to the program, coaches, and kids; they like the half-time goodies; membership massages their egos, and its a tax deduction. A coaching change won't affect this much in the longer term.

I agree with all you are saying Oh Wise Wizard. And so is the Circle of Life of college basketball.

[srw]

Anyone else think its sad we have to be discussing this...

Just disappointing..

Its january 17th...

Even Dave Snell is saying we are playing on Thursday night.

I just don't know how much this program can take

[amettrick]

If we stick with a coach because we don't want to upset the big donors that he's made friends with, to me, thats a very sad thing. That's essentially saying its OK to lose as long as we're making money. Unacceptable.

[Chico]

t---A couple of additional comments---BU did have maintenance prior to JL. Maintenance actually started when we moved to Carver and Versace was the coach.

Loss of maintenance due to fewer season ticket sales is a possibility during an extended period of mediocrity such as we are having now but this should certainly recover once we get the program back on a winning track. IMO, big donor losses during a coaching change would almost certainly recover since a new coach will also attract loyalty and contributions from big donors once we begin winning.

IMO, the BSS may experience a downward bump at first but it will recover and grow even more once we start winning. IMO, Most BSS people donate because they want great seats; they have an opportunity to get very close to the program, coaches, and kids; they like the half-time goodies; membership massages their egos, and its a tax deduction. A coaching change won't affect this much in the longer term.

Agree with most, but IMO most BSS people are good BU fans who can afford to do what they do and if I was in their boat I'd do the same thing, and it wouldn't be because of my ego. Watching on TV last night I kept seeing a former Bradley great from the late 50's early 60's era and I'm sure he didn't get those seats to massage his ego.

[srw]

If we stick with a coach because we don't want to upset the big donors that he's made friends with, to me, thats a very sad thing. That's essentially saying its OK to lose as long as we're making money. Unacceptable.

I am going to switch this around a bit.

Please hear me out before politics takes hold.

Watching a tv show last week. One of the panel members said "Most big corporations donate money for access, not because they are ideologically in step with a particular candidate."

I feel that this is sort of harming BU. People continue to support the status quo, so they can have access to whatever part of the program they access.

It has nothing to do with winning/

[BradleyJD]

and I think it would happen even moreso this time around because of all the many current donors and their support for JL.

Again, I honestly hope BU is not making decisions on the men's basketball coaching job by being afraid of donors.

"You can't make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen."

[tornado]

r u serious?? That's like saying I never pay attention to who is infuriated by what I say -- even if it's the guy who issues my paycheck...
the revenue a program brings in is quite an important factor and may have been the deciding factor in 2002 as to why Mo was fired, when a few big names demanded it...

[srw]

i am guessing it would be buyout cost and loss of donors...

is that fair tornado?


Now there is a third figure here though, and thats dwindling attendance that is measurable

[tornado]

there's many factors, and no matter what is done -- some fans don't like it...

[srw]

there's many factors, and no matter what is done -- some fans don't like it...

that is a total agreement.

I wish Jim would bow out gracefully, and just say its time to move out west and be by tyler...(with him getting a fair buyout)

[tornado]

there's many factors, and no matter what is done -- some fans don't like it...

I am not the one in charge nor is it my job to decide what gets done but I believe if the head coach is fired the will be unintended bad consequences that will keep us at the bottom of the MVC for a long time to come.

Example -- ISU ran out Porter Moser and had hoped after 3 years to be better off...
nope, they are currently way worse off than any time when Porter was there.

UNI is different, they never fired their coach...but no MVC school that fired their coach this past decade has won a single NCAA game have they? (except BU of course)...so it's not like we can point to a lot of success this past decade that came from terminating one coach then getting a new guy.