Amid considerable consternation, UAB has dropped its football program, and you wonder who else could follow. In an analysis of the most recent USA Today college athletics database of 2012-13, CBSSports.com determined that 26 public university athletic departments with football [all outside the Power Five] reported a larger deficit than UAB's $17.5 million. That's factoring in subsidies, such as student fees. In that study, UConn had an $18.9 million deficit.
Different measuring sticks can be employed to measure revenue, of course. How UConn chooses to apportion its Nike money among different sports is a factor. Also, millions gained from the dissolution of the old Big East helps fuel the program. But believe this: The more money that's being made, the more money is being spent on trying to win. It's a furious pace that will only widen the gap between the Power Five and the rest. In the meantime, football and basketball players are going to get stipends and money for their likenesses and that train only figures to keep rolling in the athletes' direction.
It was no fun seeing all those empty seats at Rentschler Field this past season. The announced crowd of 22,591 (tickets distributed) aside, you know how many fans went through the turnstiles for the final home game on Dec. 6? According to the CRDA, it was 5,300. Yes, the weather was lousy. Yes, SMU and UConn were lousy, but 5,300 is beyond sobering.
