Yes, ka-BOOM.. as in cuts, cuts, and more cuts, and they're coming to a favorite program near you. The Big 12 athletic directors are mulling cuts during their meetings in Colorado Springs, and there has been at least one major college department that I can recall that lost money last year, and that'd be Ohio State. Yes, THE Ohio State University.
And, the major college "arms race" can't continue forever. In fact, I don't think it can realistically last into the next decade without a major crash in the not-to-distant future. How long can institutions keep jacking up the rates of "personal seat licenses"--better known as PSLs--as well as ticket prices, concessions and/or parking in this economy? I'm gathering that the pro leagues are hedging their bets, with the NFL trimming it's front office personnel by 10-percent late last year, and the other leagues sure to follow suit--no, check that--baseball probably won't because baseball's management hasn't had a clue in years.
Yes, even the colleges are in danger of pricing the regular guy out of a seat. Couple that with big corporations cutting back big-time, and the TV networks also experiencing hard times, and you have a recipe of revenue streams slowing to a trickle--and that might not be a bad thing.
Who knows, it might put big time pro and college athletics back into perspective--something a lot of us heard as kids and we now tell our children: "it's just a game".
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One thing to remember is that overall Big 12 hasn't been hit nearly as hard as the Big 10. I'm not just talking about the South Division - the agricultural core of the North Division has held out very well when you look at unemployment rates.
ReplyDeleteBut there are certainly some leading indicators out there, corporate sponsorships and alumni giving primary among them. If these are decreasing, the the programs will have to adjust.
All very true, Marc, and thanks for your input. I'll still bet you that those North Division ADs are looking at cuts to hedge what may happen.
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ReplyDeleteIt might not be bad if everyone's facilities improvements have been paid off. If not, look out!
ReplyDeleteBut there are several coal mine canaries out there and so far they are still chirping. While the Yankees' timing and price structure were terrible, minor league baseball seems to be doing fine thus far. I'm watching the hockey world very closely. Phoenix is likely a casualty depended on how the courts swing. The minors have struggled with several craters and relocations, even DURING the season. The PGA Tour and Bowls would be hurting I think if most naming sponsorships were already 2-3 year deals.
I'll tell you what, Marc: hockey could really use the economy to its advantage right now. Let's face it, hockey's the underdog of the big four major pro sports, and thus it could underbid the NFL, NBA and MLB and still improve its bottom line. Maybe laying low a couple of years on Versus might pay off!
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