New $50M Fundraising Campaign Launched - Champion CUSE

[richmondcuse03]

They'll be announcing this later today...

Syracuse University is launching a sweeping, university-wide $50 million fundraising campaign this afternoon called "Champion 'CUSE" aimed at elevating Syracuse Athletics by fielding championship-caliber athletic programs and winning championships. This game-changing opportunity ensures each of our 20 teams will be able to compete and win at the highest levels.

This new campaign comes on the heels of and amid significant change across NCAA Division 1 athletics, including the House vs. NCAA settlement, which will allow universities and colleges to directly share revenue, up to $20.5 million, with student-athletes, effective July 1, 2025, pending approval. Syracuse Athletics is prepared for these changes and intends to share at the maximum level to recruit and retain the very best student-athletes. Still, we know the highest-performing programs across the country will not only max on out revenue sharing, they’ll also supplement it with funds generated through their fan base. And there’s no better fan base than Orange Nation!

 

[oldpinepoint]

Is this replacing NIL?

 

[Sbucketball]

Is this replacing NIL?

Supplementing.

 

[Consigliere]

Assume this will help cover the $20.5MM in direct payments plus the costs of additional scholarships allowed by House.

 

[Biaxtar]

They'll be announcing this later today...

Syracuse University is launching a sweeping, university-wide $50 million fundraising campaign this afternoon called "Champion 'CUSE" aimed at elevating Syracuse Athletics by fielding championship-caliber athletic programs and winning championships. This game-changing opportunity ensures each of our 20 teams will be able to compete and win at the highest levels.

This new campaign comes on the heels of and amid significant change across NCAA Division 1 athletics, including the House vs. NCAA settlement, which will allow universities and colleges to directly share revenue, up to $20.5 million, with student-athletes, effective July 1, 2025, pending approval. Syracuse Athletics is prepared for these changes and intends to share at the maximum level to recruit and retain the very best student-athletes. Still, we know the highest-performing programs across the country will not only max on out revenue sharing, they’ll also supplement it with funds generated through their fan base. And there’s no better fan base than Orange Nation!

Huge. Great to know Syracuse is not messing around

 

[Bayside44]

Assume this will help cover the $20.5MM in direct payments plus the costs of additional scholarships allowed by House.

Yes

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Newhouser]

I know its the cost of doing business but how many times do we think the school can run one of these campaigns?

 

[pwong]

Assume this will help cover the $20.5MM in direct payments plus the costs of additional scholarships allowed by House.

So it’s just trying to offset revshare with donations… without any additional contributions to collectives? That doesn’t really move the needle if so.

 

[Dinkyspond]

I know its the cost of doing business but how many times do we think the school can run one of these campaigns?

I'm with you. I have a lot of donor fatigue. I'm sure others do also. It's gonna sap my energy and desire to follow major college sports. P5 is going to be the haves and have nots.

 

[richmondcuse03]

So it’s just trying to offset revshare with donations… without any additional contributions to collectives? That doesn’t really move the needle if so.

The collectives will still matter, this isn't one or the other.

$20.5M is substantially larger than we're raising now through the NIL collectives. One step at a time. Doing it through the school is better for tax reasons and helps the school run things in a more organized way. You can then still use collectives to organize marketing deals and a lot of other stuff on top of it.

 

[Consigliere]

So it’s just trying to offset revshare with donations… without any additional contributions to collectives? That doesn’t really move the needle if so.

Money has to come from either additional revenue streams or cost cutting, doesn’t it? Revenue sharing really distorts the fact that the financial model for Division 1 athletics is based on one or two sports pay for the rest of the portfolio. Athletic Departments haven’t just been banking media rights and other revenue sources to tap into now.

What House does is to essentially mandate to teams that want to compete at a national level distribute $20.5MM (minus $2.5MM if they award additional scholarships) to their student athletes.

The Champions Campaign may not give SU a competitive advantage against other P4 programs, but without it they would be at a serious disadvantage.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Good luck to them.

 

[Owens guy]

Supplementing.

So colleges will be able to distribute $20.5 million to their athletics (if they give the max amount) but many schools will still have much more NIL$ to pay in addition to this $20.5 million revenue sharing money.

Besides paying athletics more money (and now the rowing team getting a little money) I don't know how this helps level the playing field since schools will still be paying out different amounts due to NIL$.

 

[AcAndAc]

So colleges will be able to distribute $20.5 million to their athletics (if they give the max amount) but many schools will still have much more NIL$ to pay in addition to this $20.5 million revenue sharing money.

Besides paying athletics more money (and now the rowing team getting a little money) I don't know how this helps level the playing field since schools will still be paying out different amounts due to NIL$.

I suppose it makes the issues of being a have or have not a voluntary one. If MAC teams decide to be have nots, they decided. This frees up the SEC/B1G/anyone else opting in to be their own division/level... "Hey, you could have opted in."

 

[pwong]

Money has to come from either additional revenue streams or cost cutting, doesn’t it? Revenue sharing really distorts the fact that the financial model for Division 1 athletics is based on one or two sports pay for the rest of the portfolio. Athletic Departments haven’t just been banking media rights and other revenue sources to tap into now.

What House does is to essentially mandate to teams that want to compete at a national level distribute $20.5MM (minus $2.5MM if they award additional scholarships) to their student athletes.

The Champions Campaign may not give SU a competitive advantage against other P4 programs, but without it they would be at a serious disadvantage.

Right but like every school has access to the $20.5M rev share allocation for all sports. It’s just the barrier to entry to if you want to be on the same playing field as most HM schools. Additional compensation through NIL collectives will be the true NIL competitive advantage.

But we will be canibilizing ourselves if all of our donor money shifts from NIL collectives to funding rev share.

 

[hoopsupstate]

This is a chance for all the complaining fans to make a difference. No donation is too small or too big. Be a part of a solution.

 

[kingtidge]

So colleges will be able to distribute $20.5 million to their athletics (if they give the max amount) but many schools will still have much more NIL$ to pay in addition to this $20.5 million revenue sharing money.

Besides paying athletics more money (and now the rowing team getting a little money) I don't know how this helps level the playing field since schools will still be paying out different amounts due to NIL$.

It doesn't solve competitive funding issues for smaller, private schools.

It just sets a minimum level for schools that are serious about their D1 athletics.

The big SEC and B1G, and state universities will still have an significant advantage in NIL coffers due to their large undergrad sizes and huge alumni bases.

 

[CNYGuy]

It doesn't solve competitive funding issues for smaller, private schools.

It just sets a minimum level for schools that are serious about their D1 athletics.

The big SEC and B1G, and state universities will still have an significant advantage in NIL coffers due to their large undergrad sizes and huge alumni bases.

The key for Syracuse is how enforceable the New NIL rules are... They're supposed to be vetted for actual value, so you can't just give someone $2 Million to do next to nothing anymore.

 

[kingtidge]

The key for Syracuse is how enforceable the New NIL rules are... They're supposed to be vetted for actual value, so you can't just give someone $2 Million to do next to nothing anymore.

$2 million for a one-time autograph signing fee at Ashley Schaeffer BMW and the like... I'll believe the NCAA can control such nonsense when I see them doing it.

 

[Cuseball]

This is a chance for all the complaining fans to make a difference. No donation is too small or too big. Be a part of a solution.

I’ll donate to getting rid of a very bad basketball coach. That’s the most important step

 

[Cusefan0307]

It doesn't solve competitive funding issues for smaller, private schools.

It just sets a minimum level for schools that are serious about their D1 athletics.

The big SEC and B1G, and state universities will still have an significant advantage in NIL coffers due to their large undergrad sizes and huge alumni bases.

I wouldn’t be surprised if some non-revenue sports see themselves on the chopping block soon enough. That’s where all of this is headed. That said taxpayers in other states may get sick of funding sports as well.

 

[djcon57]

I’ll donate to getting rid of a very bad basketball coach. That’s the most important step

Give for the football program then

 

[rrlbees]

This is a chance for all the complaining fans to make a difference. No donation is too small or too big. Be a part of a solution.

That’s one of my favorite sayings. “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem”. $$$ is king in this period of college athletics. As a 60+ year fan/supporter/donor where SU sports is part of my DNA, I’ll be increasing my NIL donation and donate to this endeavor along with the donation that goes with season tix.