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West Virginia AD Lyons reviews budget progress for the Mountaineers, noting the pandemic year of FY21 resulted in losses of mid-$20M, followed by FY22 ending $8M to $10M behind the chains, but FY23 is looking like a breakeven result. More from Lyons: "My job is looking for new revenue streams. We're starting a feasibility study in terms of adding additional premium seating at the football stadium. That would probably mean a new press box, but we have to see if we have the market and number of folks we need for that. It would be a huge undertaking [Lyons estimates the project at ~$100M], but it would also provide us with a huge revenue stream. It takes money to make money." (link)
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LEARFIELD President for Digital & Technology Damron discuss the push and pull of leadership, from a personal, professional and organizational perspective with AthleticDirectorU's Brown from last month's Women Leaders in College Sports National Convention in Kansas City. Damron on the balance of innovation & client service: "We get passionate internally, which is great because it's all about the best solution for our partners. Our client folks come back from visits with so many great ideas we need to do now and our product team has to navigate timelines, so we have business alignment with the product team where we prioritize what's important and yet has to get done ahead of key sport seasons." Lots more, including her evolution of being a working mom, bridging communication gaps across the organization & the value of providing in-house childcare. (link)
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USF AD Kelly is on the hunt for a new leader for his football program as the Bulls have parted ways with HC Scott. Special Teams Coordinator Da Prato will serve as Interim HC for the remainder of the season. DC Shoop is also out, with co-DC/LB coach Sims stepping in to finish the year. Scott went 4-26 (1-19) in nearly three seasons in Tampa. (link)
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Miami (FL) WBB HC Meier is suspended for the first three games of the season, starting with tonight's home opener against Maryland-Eastern Shore. A statement from the Canes: "The University and Coach Meier are working cooperatively with the NCAA on an enforcement matter and per NCAA bylaws, the University is unable to provide further details or comment at this time." Meier: "For over 30 years, I have led my programs with integrity, excellence, equity, and grit. I have, and will continue to, collaborate transparently with the NCAA as they review an enforcement matter with the Hurricanes women’s basketball program. I look forward to returning to competition on November 16th with the most talented student-athletes and coaches in the country." The Miami Herald's Kaufman notes: "The Hurricanes women's program has been in the spotlight in recent months with the addition of twin transfer guards Haley and Hanna Cavinder." (link)
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ESPN College GameDay heads to Austin for the TCU vs. Texas showdown this weekend. This is the show's second trip to UT this season and ninth overall. (link)
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FOS' Christovich pens on the value & challenges of hosting ESPN College GameDay. Appalachian State Senior Assoc. AD for Strategic Communications Jones notes: "Especially for a place that’s hosting it for the first time, it’s a complete university effort. It’s just nonstop planning for the entire week to get ready for what is a signature moment in our university’s history." GameDay Coordinating Producer Gallagher: "Sometimes we’re asking them to do things like move light posts or shut down major roadways. It can be a disruption to the school and to the campus." However, Gallagher also notes it's not the show's job to "provide propaganda for the school,", but, "it’s only natural that the show is just going to end up putting a spotlight on the school in a positive way." More. (link)
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The SEC levies another quarter million dollar fine to LSU for "a violation of the league’s access to competition area policy" following the crowd storming the field at Tiger Stadium after beating Alabama on Saturday. The Tigers were fined as much for the same violation following the Ole Miss win two weeks prior. This is the school's fourth such violation and the monetary penalty remains (for now) $250K for each violation hereafter. (link)
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Clemson tops this week's Misery Index from USA Today's Wolken. The Tigers are joined by Alabama, Miami (FL), Missouri, and Oklahoma State. In the 'miserable but not miserable enough' group: Ohio State, Arkansas, Houston, Appalachian State and Army. (link)
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St. John's is on board as a Collegiate Sports Connect partner. The Red Storm joins more than 30 other athletic departments which are using Connect to identify administrative talent & supplement its hiring processes. Connect has more than 6,000 users on the platform. (link)
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The latest in Gee v NCAA: "The NCAA shouldn't be responsible for creating rules on warning college athletes about the risks of concussions." That's from a former NCAA medical committee member/current UCLA FB team physician, according to Law360. (link)
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The "Stanford Hates Fun," student-led movement is pushing forward as several students brought banners and wore shirts with the message to the football game against Washington State on Saturday. Students are standing in solidarity with the Tree mascot, played by student Jordan Zietz '24, who got suspended last week after unfurling a banner with "Stanford Hates Fun" written on it during the homecoming game last month. In a statement to The Stanford Daily, representatives of the movement say they are "calling for a simplified process to register small student parties and changes to the alcohol policy, and broadly the restoration of 'the houses, traditions, events and programs that made life at Stanford zesty and memorable.'” (link)
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Also Noticed...
+ Manhattan MBB AC Grady resigns in the wake of HC Masiello's firing. CBS Sports' Norlander: "I'm told Grady left due to lack of direction by school's administration. Additional fallout after Jaspers' top player transferred following Masiello sever, and another went into the portal." (link)
+ TV scheduling guru Sarzyniak with his Week 11 college football TV schedule updates and predictions (link)
+ ESPN's Smith set the Guinness World Record for longest cornhole throw live on the SEC Network on Saturday. Smith: "There is nothing that I’ve ever experienced that created the euphoria of winning the redneck olympics." (link)
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In case you missed Sunday's email...
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Sportico's JohnWallStreet gets this from a source "inside the room" on considerations of expanding March Madness: "There has been some talk about expanding the NCAA Tournament. Major expansion isn't happening. There's no additional money to be made in rights fees. Adding teams simply adds costs. But adding ~4 P5 teams that would otherwise be left out bc of auto bids remains a possibility. And remember... if you add teams on men's side, you have to add them on the women's side too. So, you're adding 2x costs and no additional revenue." (link)
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SBJ catches up with several college basketball stakeholders who weigh in on storylines to watch for this season. Intersport VP for Basketball Starsiak explains he’ll be “watching the entire nonconference season and its effects come Selection Sunday. With the NET being an important sorting tool, who teams play, where and how they perform all factor into building the tournament bracket. Beyond these high-profile non-league matchups being potential difference makers in March, they are great exposure opportunities for the sport that must continue to work for the spotlight in November and December to grow the game.” UTA Sports SVP Shell cites the “continuing professionalization of college basketball” and explains: “It’s not just NIL, but areas like staff sizes and basketball operations. Many programs are now operating like professional teams with general managers, support staff, player development, scouting, all of it. I don’t think it will necessarily be an arms race where those who spend the most money win. Many of these areas — like in the pros — can be done effectively by getting the right people in the right positions and focusing on what actually is important to recruit good players, develop them, and win.” More. (link)
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UCLA's future in the Pac-12 is now on the docket for action on the UC Regents' November 17th meeting agenda. (link); JohnCanzano.com's namesake on conditions around the Pac-12's potential addition of San Diego State: "I think San Diego State likely gets an invitation, regardless. Even if UCLA is forced to stay, San Diego State probably replaces the divot left by USC. And I don’t think SDSU turns down the Pac-12 if a reasonable offer is made." (link)
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New Bowling Green AD van der Merwe on his biggest challenge in leading the Falcons: "It's realizing that there's never enough to do what you need to do. There's always another hill, there's always another horizon. I think the biggest challenge is going to be — we will continue to grow resources, we will continue to improve investment in the department — but learning to be patient and learning to do things the right way so it's sustainable. That’s the challenge of everybody in our enterprise today." Further: "I think that we don't need to have the largest budget in the MAC in order to achieve those goals and objectives. If that was true, then the New York Yankees would win the World Series every year. [...] There are opportunities for institutions that are lean, they're innovative, they're creative, to achieve great heights." More. (link)
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SMU and Houston combined for 140 points yesterday, setting a new FBS record for total points in a regulation game (at least since 1936). The previous record was the 137 put up by Pitt and Syracuse in 2016. The overall FBS record is 146, but that was the 7OT thriller between Texas A&M and LSU. Combined offensive production in SMU's 77-63 win resulted in 1,352 yards, with Mustangs QB Mordecai racking up 379 yards and nine TDs and Cougars QB Tune throwing for 527 yards and seven TDs. (link)
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Visit Jackson officials estimate that the economic impact of Jackson State's Homecoming and BoomBox Classic football games in back-to-back weekends generated $8.9M and $4.4M, respectively, for the city. (link)
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If it is built by 2026, the proposed $2.1B enclosed Tennessee Titans stadium could play host to a College Football Playoff National Championship. TransPerfect Music City Bowl President/CEO Ramsey, who also serves as president/CEO of the Nashville Sports Council, plans to bid on the national championship game when the next bid cycle opens. (link)
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Coaches Wire...
+ Missouri football HC Drinkwitz gets a two-year contract extension that could keep him with the Tigers through the 2027 season. "The school did not announce the terms of the extension, though a university spokesman said Drinkwitz would receive an increase in guaranteed paid. His original six-year deal paid him $4 million annually before incentives." (link)
+ Football HC bonus updates from USA Today's Berkowitz. For bowl eligibility: South Carolina's Beamer ($100K), Florida State's Norvell ($100K), Louisville's Satterfield ($100K), Kansas' Leipold ($100K), Kentucky's Stoops ($100K), Mississippi State's Leach ($75K), Minnesota's Fleck ($75K), North Texas' Littrell ($35K) and Texas' Sarkisian ($25K). For seventh wins generating one-year contract extensions: South Alabama's Womack (added year is scheduled to be worth $738,500, guaranteed at $535,125) and Troy's Sumrall (guaranteed value of $925K). And finally, Clemson HC Swinney gets a $50K bonus as Syracuse's loss to Pitt yesterday secured the ACC Atlantic Division title for the Tigers. (link)
+ New Cal State Bakersfield AD Conder names Roadrunners Sports Information Director Sperl as the department's new Softball head coach. Sperl has coaching experience at Jacksonville, George Washington & Western Washington (DII). (link)
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Atlantic-10 Executive Senior Assoc. Commissioner Redmond was celebrated as part of SBJ's Game Changers class. She took a moment to talk to SBJ's Elrod about a variety of topics, leads off with the biggest issue in the sports industry. Redmond: "The greatest challenge are people outside of the industry that really are focused on what student-athletes should receive and that's really changing the financial model, or at least its straining it a great deal. ... NIL is fantastic... but there is a narrative that there should be more and it is really serving as a distraction to us being able to focus on student-athletes and their needs." Redmond says her focus is on NIL and health, specifically emotional health for student-athletes. Lots more. (link)
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D1.ticker/Connect's Eargle visits with VolleyballMag.com's Publisher/Editor Feinswog to discuss the rise of volleyball. Feinswog: "If you follow college basketball, every once and a while there are a couple of freshmen who can really help out. In our sport, it seems like all the kids coming out of high school and club are ready to go. They understand the game, they are physically ready to go, they are mature, and that's a credit to the high school and club systems throughout the country that are producing a ton of really good players." On the growth of the sport, Feinswog: "We've had attendance records set this year, but the smaller schools are packing it in and selling out. ... the two most popular and fastest growing sports in America are men's lacrosse and women's volleyball... our sport is fun. It's not like basketball or football where you feel like you have to wash your hands because of what it is." Feinswog also offers his thoughts on the coaching hot seat, biggest winners this season and more. (link)
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Also Noticed...
+ Here's a great example of why the SEC is taking a fresh look at safety around field storming as a member of the Alabama staff needed a police escort to get off the field last night due to a LSU fans who wouldn't get out of his face. (link)
+ Nevada announces a "Wolf Pack Throwback" merchandise collection, in collaboration with CLC. (link)
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In Today's Total Campus Report... (subscribe for free HERE)
+ Duke President Price announced plans to launch a fundraising campaign following the university's centennial celebration in December 2025 as part of its strategic framework: “We're not in terrible shape. Our budgets are not looking great. But we're not hemorrhaging. We’re basically operating pretty close to balanced operating budgets on the University side. The Health System has me concerned. In other respects, I think we’re in pretty good shape. ... We are grossly underendowed relative to our peer institutions, especially with faculty chairs." (link)
+ Vanderbilt Chancellor Diermeier discussed the public pressure for CEOs and top executives in all industries to respond to hot-button cultural and political issues. Diermeier, who is an academic expert of corporate reputations, compares the care executives take in producing, packaging and marketing a product with their proclivity to share quick reactions regarding social or political problems. Diermeier: "It’s an interesting and pretty profound desire, for companies to take the lead in solving social problems. That doesn’t mean you need to take polarizing positions. There’s so much that companies can do voluntarily that has a social impact. But a statement that fundamentally changes nothing and creates lots of controversy, among your own workforce and your political environment? Supporting your community is very different than commenting on a specific law or issue of the day. People are not making that distinction." (link)
+ Power 5 institutions included among the top 100 of the QS Sustainability Rankings 2023 are: Cal (1), USC (22), Arizona State (24), Stanford (26), Colorado (30), Penn State (38), Florida (38), Duke (40), North Carolina (46), UCLA (49), Rutgers (52), Washington (62), Minnesota (72), Michigan (75), Illinois (84), Wisconsin (87), Maryland (93) and Texas (98). Full list. (link)
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