1/6/2010: If you’re tired of the relentless RG boosterism about the new Jaqua Athletes Only Study Center, (not just in the editorial, but also in Greg Bolt’s news article) you can read a more balanced report from Todd Milbourn of KVAL, here.
There is a pretty comprehensive discussion about UO’s athletic department’s financial situation from Rachel Bachman of the Oregonian, here. Quoting,
Oregon sports lost $1.2 million the fiscal year before Bellotti took over the athletic director’s job from Pat Kilkenny, according to a report every school files annually with the NCAA, released to The Oregonian this week in response to a public records request. The gap is significant because for the past six years Oregon athletics officials have touted their economic self sufficiency.
Bellotti said the deficit is due in part to the timing of the report, which doesn’t allow Oregon to include football ticket revenues collected for the next fall. He said those sales quickly filled the million-dollar gap. But he acknowledged that he wasn’t familiar with the reports from recent years, which showed small profits.
A sharp increase in compensation for coaches (up $1.4 million) and athletics administrators (up $2.7 million, or 31 percent) between 2008 and 2009 contributed to the operating deficit, records show. The increases came as the economy slumped and industries nationwide were cutting salaries and positions.
My take on this is that the athletic department is not going to become a burden on academics – they are in their own world over there, and have plenty of very rich and enthusiastic supporters. But the arena bond repayments are going to add another $15 million in costs to a $66 million a year budget – so that support will probably be staying with athletics, and not helping with academics much.
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