McDonough on telecast

[TheOrangeBuddha]

We are playing at the Met Life Stadium because it pays for 70% of our football budget. Even if the bandwagon fans in Syracuse sold out the Dome for the USC game (which is highly unlikely) there is no way the Athletic Department would generate that type of profit for one game in Syracuse.

I understand Gross said the Met Life game was worth 70% of SU Football budget (mea culpa was off by 5% in original post), but how does he get to this number? Assuming SU Football's budget is in the $10M-$12M range (which is being extremely conservative), that would mean SU earned approximately $7M-$8.4M for this game. Per 2009 article, SU's football budget was roughly $15M for the 2009 season - (http://blog.syracuse.com/orangefootball/2010/12/syracuse_university_football_m_1.html). Even using my extremely conservative numbers, let alone numbers from 2009, I do not see how this statement ("USC game at Met Life is worth 70% of SU Football budget") is accurate. I don't see how this is possible without accounting trickery.

Keep in mind, the SU Football 2012 budget is necessarily bigger because of the game in Met Life Stadium (extra travel costs, more expensive hotel for Friday night and other expenses associated with playing a game in New Jersey as opposed to Syracuse). Assume 40K (actual attendance was slightly lower) at Met Life at average ticket price of $100 (being generous here - have no idea how money from Groupon or LivingSocial coupons are distributed) equals $4.0M.

It is highly unlikely that Syracuse kept any of the concessions from Met Life, but an estimate of concessions earned during the game would be no more than $500K (overestimating $25 per fan and customary 40%-50% take of gross receipts for "owner"). (http://athleticbusiness.com/articles/article.aspx?articleid=1838&zoneid=37). Mind you, it is highly unlikely that Met Life gave all the concessions to SU.

As for television revenue - there is no way this game isn't televised by ABC in the national slot no matter its location. Because it was a Big East game, it was going to be shown on the ABC/ESPN platform. If there are any revenue differences between being shown on ABC v. ESPN v. ESPN2 v. ESPNU, I am not aware of them. I think we can all agree that the television money was going to be the same or very near similar no matter where the game was played. The same thing can be said for every remaining game that is played at Met Life Stadium over the next ten years.

I suppose Met Life Stadium owners could have paid Syracuse an appearance fee for moving the game from Syracuse to New Jersey. We can obviously agree that any fee would be paid with the mindset that Met Life Stadium owners would intend on seeing a return on that appearance fee. This further cements that point that at most only a very small percentage of concessions flowed back to SU, if any at all. It is highly doubtful that any appearance fee was substantial enough to push the revenue from this game towards the 70% mark.

So how does this compute?

If you want to rationalize why certain games are being moved to New Jersey, do it. But do it accurately. Explain that you are 100% in on the SU Football is New York's Team, explain that you want to give the alums in the Greater New York City Tri-State area an opportunity to see the team without a trip back to campus which will hopefully lead to larger donations etc., explain that it is part of the plan to recruit the Tri-State area harder and harder insuring that at least 2-3 times during a recruits career he will play in front of hometown fans.

 

[All4SU]

I had fun at Met Life.

We made some money.

Alabama opened the season in Dallas.

ND opened the season in Ireland.

This is the way of big time college sports.

As we win more often and at greater heights, the crowds and games will return to the Dome.

Good post. Good perspective.

 

[SU2NASA]

Michigan received $4.5 million for the game against Alabama in Dallas at Cowboys Stadium.

That was a sold out stadium with astronomically priced tickets, and Michigan received more than Alabama to bring their team.

I'd be shocked if we received $2 million.

 

[rrlbees]

We are playing at the Met Life Stadium because it pays for 70% of our football budget. Even if the bandwagon fans in Syracuse sold out the Dome for the USC game (which is highly unlikely) there is no way the Athletic Department would generate that type of profit for one game in Syracuse.

No one is this town can bitch about anything when only 37,000 for the home opener (which includes a ton of free tickets for SU students) and they could not even could not sellout the Dome when PSU and Notre Dame came to town a few years ago.

Everyone knows that the decision to play at Met Life Stadium is about money and we need a lot of money to turn this football programs around. We need money to build an indoor practice facility/upgrade facilities which can be used to convince some highly touted recruits that we are once again a legit D1 football team.

I for one made the 4 hour trip to NJ and loved watching the Cuse play at Met Life Stadium.

All I can say to all the folks in Syracuse who are bitching about the decision is start to buying season tickets and donate some money to the Ernie Davis Club.

70%. Do you work for SU? Stop with the spin.

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[MikeSU02]

70%. Do you work for SU? Stop with the spin.

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I mean, it's not even a spin, it's an outright lie, right?

There is no way it is 70%.

If I'm wrong, I'll eat crow, but 70% seems like an absolutely ridiculous number.

 

[Chip]

I would be very embarrassed if USC went to the dome and the dome failed to be sold out, and who can say for sure that the dome would have sold out against USC. And if it did sell out how much USC red would we have seen in the dome? I love McDonough, but I disagree with him here* (I was at the game so I don't know what he said and can't really disagree until I know for sure what he said).

Yesterday was fun. If SU had beaten NW and the weather had been better we would have seen 5k more Orange fans. I met many NYC alumni who were excited and who haven't been up to the dome in many years. And this is important for no other reason than if the crowd is below 50k NJ Transit doesn't run the train from the stadium to Secaucus Junction, and we have to take a bus instead. Last night after the game my bus driver ended up getting lost on the way to Secaucus Junction and we drove around the NJ Turnpike for 20 minutes until he could figure it out. Gotta love NJ!

I'm not sure why anyone thinks it would have been sold out. What do they even base it on? The place never ever sells out and certainly not when many of the locals think we have no chance.

I also don't know why people think we would have won if it was in the Dome. Seems like a stretch. USC plays, and plays very well, at venues tougher than ours. Those WRs do not get slowed down on our turf.

We hung in, we were outmanned. It's a good sign for our future. Hopefully, as stated, we pocketed several extra coins for playing there.