Basketball Tournaments

[Pita]

Great games.  Have watched most every one.  Funny how quickly
a team can fall apart (N. Carolina in particular).  Wonder what it would
be like to be a fan in the seats watching our team.  Guess I'll never
do that in my lifetime. Watched Robic in the Kentucky games, Peters in the
Akron game (he's looking older).  Basketball is so great this year, will be very
difficult to pick a winner.  Hope Bobby Huggins and the W. Va Mountaineers go
far....it could happen.  Never watch West Coast teams so have no idea who out
there is a threat.  Hate to see Basketball end another season.

Anyone on the site interested in the road to the final four?

[ELPENGUIN]

Pita, I have viewed parts of most games during the championship week.  Can't wait for the start of the "dance" on Tuesday.  Being a North Carolina fan for many years, they are my pick for the final four.  Not saying they will win it but you never know how the ball bounces.  I know I will never see our Penguins in the NCAA tournament soon but hope is eternal.  Brings back memories of our YSU team almost winning the OVC championship game at Middle Tenn. We would have played North Carolina at Notre Dame in a first round game.  Almost got there didn't we?

[ysuindy]

Brings back memories of our YSU team almost winning the OVC championship game at Middle Tenn. We would have played North Carolina at Notre Dame in a first round game.  Almost got there didn't we?

I often feel like the Charlie Brown / Linus cartoon about Willie McCovey not hitting the ball higher on the line drive that ended the World Series:  "WHY DID VAUGHN LUTON HAVE TO CALL TIMEOUT"

 

Little did we know how hard it would be to get that close again.

[southbeach]

Hey EL. We will never see the penguins in the tournament. To get to the tournament we have to win our conference championship. We will never win that championship. We are at best a middle of the road team in the conference and unfortunately don't seem to care to much about improving that situation. A rescent article in the vindy stated that Akron puts more money into their women's program than we put into our men's tells you the trajectory our men's program is on. BTW I am tired of hearing about football funding all our programs. Football looses money. All our programs loose money. Its the student fees that keep our programs solvent.

[HLecter]

Southbeach:

Are you sure football loses money?

Anyway we can get you to change your user name?  I get thoughts of the anti-christ everytime I see it.

[Penguin Nation]

Penguin fans,

Even though the Penguins got passed over by the NCAA bracket selection committee , there is no reason Penguin fans can't still have fun trying their luck in a bracket. I've set up a group called "Penguin Nation" at the following site:

http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/group?groupID=95151

Just find the group "Penguin Nation", register and pick away. It's free and the winner gets unlimited bragging rights.

[IAA Fan]

Football loses Money? This is YSU not Kent State. Football does now, and has always paid for all sports since the 70's. Football makes serious $$$ at YSU. Unfortunately, not enough to support an NCAA power basketball club, or a MAC-level athletic budget. I remember when Narduzzi knocked on every door in the valley to get the Ice Castle built, as they would not break budget. Of course, this new staff is costing a bundle, but we hope they pay for themselves.

[southbeach]

There are several financial statement available online which are part of althletic dept fillings to the NCAA
which show that our football program does not make money. Also shows that none of our programs make money. Its only the student activity fees that bring our athletic budget into the black. Earliest statements are from 2004. Latest is 2008.

[ELPENGUIN]

yes South Beach is correct.  He showed me the site and had proof as reported by the NCAA.  If it were not for our student fees, we would be real toast.

[Penguin Nation]

The women's brackets are out tonight, so if you want to match your prognostic skills against other Penguin fans, than hit the link below and find the group "Penguin Nation". Make your picks and enjoy the dance.

Horizon League champs Green Bay should go far as a 5th seed. Ohio State, the Big 10 champs for the 3rd year in a row, are a fourth seed. Five Big Ten teams are in, proving how strong the Big Ten is in WBB.

http://games.espn.go.com/tcwomen/en/frontpage

[IAA Fan]

There are several financial statement available online which are part of althletic dept fillings to the NCAA
which show that our football program does not make money. Also shows that none of our programs make money. Its only the student activity fees that bring our athletic budget into the black. Earliest statements are from 2004. Latest is 2008.

The part about general fees is absolutely true. I am not an accountant, but my years at YSU gave me a solid understanding of Finance. I think you are splitting hairs. Everything comes from the general fund, as with most schools that is everything ...which is far from only student fees. Football at YSU generates .5 mil in tickets, almost .5 mil in NCAA monies ($$ games), 125k in concessions,  over 400k in corporate (loges, boxes), 800k in financial guarantees. Probably another .5 to .75 in other monies. I think we also need to realize that we are a non-profit organization. Yes, salaries and scholarships are the biggest non-capitol expense. However, total operating expenses (non salary/scholy) was about 2.6 mil and income was about 2.8 (the vast majority, if not all, coming from football). This is what I am talking about. (FY 2009). If you are looking at the "financials"...compare the line Earned Income to Operating Expenditures. This is what it cost to play sports vs income generated from such.

[southbeach]

Thanks AA! I respect your analysis and I will not split hairs with you. We are all Penguins at heart and only want ALL our programs to succeed but you analysis also supports the basis of my argument. That the football program supports all the sports at YSU unless you believe a revenue to expense difference of  $200,000 supports our athletic budget.

[IAA Fan]

Agreed we are all Fans!!! I like these topics. You are so right about the total Budget ...we are barley a DI budget. This is part of the reason why I stand behind Strollo, he knows the $$$. Maybe we are not moving forward as quickly as we would like, but we could easily be going backwards in these times as well. That would mean losing programs, or dropping to DII status.

All the more reason why I always purchase a program, Coke, and a pretzel at every game. It may not seem like much, but if everyone spent another $2-$5 each, we could add another $75k to $100k per game. Although I think they better not go any higher on tailgate fees. Last year, everyone was parking and walking in. Lots of complaining being heard. I would like to see them open up a third and even 4th lot. Then lower the price to the $5-$10 range. So:

M3 = $5 (or free with students only)
M26 = $5-$10
M7 = $10-$15
M24/F2 = $15-$20

I firmly believe the students would take to walking across campus to the M3 and/or M26 for some special events. OSU student tailgate lots are great. The expense could be recouped through an on-campus living fee of $5 per quarter. Give them special shirts (like the basketball games), maybe a popular local band. Then have food services (and the on-campus restaurants) cover the food. The increased game attendance will look great.

[ELPENGUIN]

South Beach and 1AA, best conversations on this web site in quite some time.  Those of us who know what is going on, as to what a great job Strollo and his short handed department performs day in day out, can only be amused at the writings and unsubstantiated statements of those on this site who are clueless.
As Dr. Smith would say "If you don't believe me Look it up"!

[Pita]

With all due respect to previous postings by posters.
Football $$$$ taken in, be it tickets, programs, parking,
concessions whatever, the list can go on forever almost.
How do anyone of you posters KNOW actual figures.  Even
if you had those figures....there are expenses to be paid.
I truly don't have figures either.  I just wonder.  What gives you
PROOF that football makes $$$$.  Somewhere I had read that
so few dollars are made in football by ever so many colleges.

Even if you had an itemized list of intake and output, you would
have to evaluate.  Without those exact figures you can't even
begin.  So Elpenguin, you're right, I don't know what I speak of, but
I have to challenge and say.........."do you???"  REALLY.

This is not intended as an argument........but a desire to reconcile
differences of opinions.....some baseless ....would you agree?