Ohio University football

Sorry, I was out drinkiing with the coach the night before and was still too hung over to go to the game.

on a side note does anyone know how many division I teams actually make money in football?

I no longer attend Ohio University, but I'm also a former Bobcat track athlete so I understand why you'd be upset over the attendance at the football games. It's almost like school spirit is being forgotten because students are too involved with drinking/partying. It's really disappointing to see this happen, but my question is why are you posting about it on Letsrun? I doubt anyone but maybe a dozen serious distance runners from OU are going to read the post...

but again i do agree with you.

What happened with the Ohio Men's track team? Is it still cut?? I heard they decided to get rid of the program...which is a lot more heartbreaking to me than the football news haha.

I forgot to say I have attended a number of MAC football and basketball games and Championships over the years. But, since a number of MAC universities have dropped their men’s track and field programs in recent years I have decided to save my money and I don’t plan to go to any more MAC football or basketball games…

I hope you do the same….

Send an email to the following and let them know why you don’t plan to go to an Ohio University football game…

Mark Zindar – Columbus Dispatch -

mznidar@dispatch.com

Kirby Hocutt, Director of Athletics -

athletics@ohio.edu

Roderick J. McDavis. President -

mcdavis@ohio.edu

Count me in as not going to another OU football game!!!

Although I simpathize with you, there is nothing that you are going to do to change it. Ball State lost their track program and their football program was arguabley the worst team in the natio for many years.

They then built a new stadium and almost beat michigan last year. Do i support football. Hell no. But I also understand that as the current college system works, cc and track teams will not be spared for football. No matter how much money they lose.

Ps. It is something like 8 NCAA football teams that make a profit. All the rest don't.

I agree a few lost dollars will not change things....but if all of theathletes of the sports that were dropped didn't go to the games, got their frinds not go to the games, and their frineds got others, and all of the high school coaches didn't go to the games and got their friends to stay home sooner or later I think the impact would hit home. Ask Western Michigan how they are doing since they dropped a numbr of sports....Enrollment is down, contributions are down...the prsdient was let go last year....

We can all dream for a better World!!!

But it won't happen if we sit around and do nothing.

You are living in lala land.

College football is not going anywhere. The 20 or so people you are trying to convince to not go to the games are not going to matter.

WMU enrollment being down has nothing to do with athletics, it is merely a coincidence.

Here is what I wrote to him- time to speak up!

Mark:

As a former bgsu alumnus that no longer recognizes that university since I ran Cross Country and Track there (and they dropped the Men's T&F program), I too no longer support the university or the MAC! I am a cross country and track official and still run and compete in events all over, in part, because of my experiences as a student athlete at bgsu! because I had attended a number of MAC football and basketball games and Championships over the years. But, since a number of MAC universities have dropped their men’s track and field programs in recent years I have decided to save my money and I don’t plan to go to any more MAC football or basketball games…..The hypocrisy is just too much as these MAC Football programs should be no better than 1AA like Youngstown State! They can and will never be able to compete with the upper tier of the 1 A programs!

By the way, I argue that only 20 university football programs in the United States actually make money, the rest are BIG time losers! This certainly includes ALL of the MAC schools!

Thanks for your time and consideration, and I hope that in part answers your question as to why no fans were at the game!

According to this article:

http://money.cnn.com/2001/11/13/news/column_sportsbiz/

67 D-1 colleges made money on football in 1999. Since this time 15 schools have been added and I doubt any of the new ones make money.

Also only 22 schools of the 313 college athletics programs make money overall. This is more recent stats. That is according to the following article:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20070515_Most_Division_I_colleges_have_to_subsidize_sports__NCAA_finds.html

Do note also that according to these articles those that lose tend to lose big.

The latest info which I have seen (2005), fewer than 20 DI football teams made money.....I think the number was 17.

I think you are confusing football programs that make money with athletic departments that make money. If you read the second article it cites data from 2004-05, saying that 22 athletic programs made money. I highly doubt that other sports were leading to these profits.

It is still significant that half of all D-1A and all of D1-AA are losing money on football, epecially when you see that they generally lose alot. This would almost certainly include all MAC schools since they tend to have low attendance and most have been expanding football budgets.

No I think that many athletic programs make more money with basketball teams than football. The cost are MUCH lower. 12 players, four coaches. Schools with no football program and a strong basketball program still can make out just fine.

Duke, Kentucky(although their football program is better), etc.

According to a search of D1-A Universities from the above website 71 colleges reported profits from football. This is from 2005. It is probably up from the older stats I provided because of conference switches. Of these 71 colleges Toledo was the only MAC school to report a profit. Only 11 non BCS conference teams did such. Most MAC teams reported losses of $2 million or more from football.

There are only TWO Division I football programs to make money. Penn State and Michigan were the only teams to make money during the last year they won a national title (i forget the years).

I couldn’t find the 71 schools that made money of football. I read a report a few years ago, which said Wisconsin lost money going to the Rose Bowl, Last year Florida would have lost money if they didn't win the National Championships...

I read in a number of articles over the years that only a few schools make money on football. If you look at all of their costs..It would amaze the public how much football programs spend. The MAC schools don’t make any money on Thursday night football games on ESPN. Last year OU lost money going to the MAC Championships game.

A few years ago there were only 10 or so football bowl games…now with 32 bowl games..64 of the 116 D1 schools go to a bowl game. Ohio University lost big bucks going to last years bowl game.

Again, if you have a few minutes let the following know you are still Alive and Care….

Send an email to the following and let them know why you don’t plan to go to an Ohio University football game…

Mark Zindar – Columbus Dispatch -

mznidar@dispatch.com

Kirby Hocutt, Director of Athletics -

athletics@ohio.edu

Roderick J. McDavis. President -

mcdavis@ohio.edu

Just saw this article...

Post: OU Athletic funding for football tops other MAC schools

http://bringingbackohiotrack.blogspot.com

I thought Marks response to his article quite telling. Sad.

Matt:

I stand firmly behind what I wrote. All I ever heard was the legendary OU crowds, how intimidating they were and how loyal. I'm still waiting to see that. OU fans cried and moaned and protested and complained about the track and swim teams going bye-bye, but attendance was nonexistent. It has been written, reported, pointed out, etc. that track and field and swimming died out a long time ago in the MAC. OU ain't Ohio State. Heck, OU isn't even Marshall. The student population is dwindling and the school is in debt. They were paying a fortune carting that women's field hockey team to conference games in California, Florida and Massachusetts. Still, the fans just didn't get it. They still don't. The OU football team has made strides, and that has meant a lot of money being channeled in. That's only smart, considering all the free publicity the school gets when the team is on ESPN, Fox, etc. Track and field teams and swimming teams are loss-leaders.

And I find it amusing that you take a swipe at the Dispatch in general at the end. We're easy targets, though. What you didn't say was how our coverage of OU football and basketball has quadrupled in recent years.

Amen,

Mark Znidar

The Dispatch

Too bad more faculty in the MAC don't speak up like this.