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Message
It does not matter about individual sports "losing" money
Posted on 1/15/26 at 7:34 pm
Posted on 1/15/26 at 7:34 pm
Men's basketball fans need to understand that the Athletic department is run as a whole. In any business there are departments/divisions or even products that are operating or sold at a loss.
There are intangibles like fan and alumni engagement, student recruiting and general goodwill that come into play along with Title IX implications.
The "lesser" sports MBB fans bitch about have built up their programs through donor support and hard work.
Skip busted his arse to build LSU Baseball into what we have today and so did the early fans. It was not always the powerhouse it is today.
WBB took forever to build and had several "almost" moments until Mulkey came and put them over the hump. There are a ton of engaged fans, and donors.
Track and Field "loses" money but has the most National Championships on campus.
Gymnastic was built from the ground up by D-D and put over the hump by Clark. They have outstanding attendance and support including donors that built then a world class training center BEFORE winning the Natty. These are not bandwagon fans and donors.
Which brings up to MBB. Where is the support beside bitching on here and wanting to cut the sports that actually win Championships? If there are so many that care so much why has there been no organizing and grassroots fundraising etc.?
MBB fans love to say other sports are niche sports that "nobody cares about" but baseball can take over Omaha and has the attendance record for what seems like forever now. The WBB pack the PMAC and can get a million $ locker room and gymnastics also packs the PMAC and can get this facility built (seriously click and look).
https://www.lsugym.com/gymnastics-training-facility/
If so many care about MBB, then where are they and what are they doing?
I want MBB fixed because it is an embarrassment, but I don't think it should be at the expense of other National Championship winning programs.
The way to save MBB will be through finding donors to help not killing successful programs to try to revive a dead one.
There are intangibles like fan and alumni engagement, student recruiting and general goodwill that come into play along with Title IX implications.
The "lesser" sports MBB fans bitch about have built up their programs through donor support and hard work.
Skip busted his arse to build LSU Baseball into what we have today and so did the early fans. It was not always the powerhouse it is today.
WBB took forever to build and had several "almost" moments until Mulkey came and put them over the hump. There are a ton of engaged fans, and donors.
Track and Field "loses" money but has the most National Championships on campus.
Gymnastic was built from the ground up by D-D and put over the hump by Clark. They have outstanding attendance and support including donors that built then a world class training center BEFORE winning the Natty. These are not bandwagon fans and donors.
Which brings up to MBB. Where is the support beside bitching on here and wanting to cut the sports that actually win Championships? If there are so many that care so much why has there been no organizing and grassroots fundraising etc.?
MBB fans love to say other sports are niche sports that "nobody cares about" but baseball can take over Omaha and has the attendance record for what seems like forever now. The WBB pack the PMAC and can get a million $ locker room and gymnastics also packs the PMAC and can get this facility built (seriously click and look).
https://www.lsugym.com/gymnastics-training-facility/
If so many care about MBB, then where are they and what are they doing?
I want MBB fixed because it is an embarrassment, but I don't think it should be at the expense of other National Championship winning programs.
The way to save MBB will be through finding donors to help not killing successful programs to try to revive a dead one.
11
Posted on 1/15/26 at 7:39 pm to SpartanSoul
You could’ve just said:
“I want Matt McMahon back for Year 5. Take the heat off the MBB program.”
“I want Matt McMahon back for Year 5. Take the heat off the MBB program.”
Posted on 1/15/26 at 7:42 pm to Circle K Beggar
No I don't want him back and think his contract was another screwup by Woody but the people bitching about how money is spread around and want to take from Baseball etc. are crazy. It is impossible to run an Athletic Department where every sport breaks even or turns a profit.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 7:55 pm to SpartanSoul
Its like you are addressing the board as if its 2015.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 8:00 pm to SpartanSoul
Stfu nerd.
Us basketball degens are holding this board hostage until we get what we want.
NO COACH NO PEACE
Us basketball degens are holding this board hostage until we get what we want.
NO COACH NO PEACE
Posted on 1/15/26 at 8:01 pm to SpartanSoul
don't blame me I never miss a game listen to 100 percent of every coaches show, and wear my NC st hoodie to every game to support will wade as well.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 8:10 pm to SpartanSoul
quote:
baseball can take over Omaha and has the attendance record for what seems like forever now.
Nobody cares.
Go back to your shanties.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 8:37 pm to SpartanSoul
You don’t make important financial decisions in your career, do you?
If basketball’s profit margin grows with the hiring of a new coach, then it creates additional funding to the athletic department.
This is not money taken from other sports, it’s new money generated by a successful program.
Also if you want to continue building on the LSU Brand, you need the exposure of basketball. Like it or not, from a national branding perspective, basketball is second only to football and all others are a distant 3rd.
To not invest money in basketball because it could take away from other sports is fundamental misunderstand of the source of basketball revenue (and ultimately profits).
With the right hire and success, basketball pays for itself. Unlike every other sport on campus (except football).
If basketball’s profit margin grows with the hiring of a new coach, then it creates additional funding to the athletic department.
This is not money taken from other sports, it’s new money generated by a successful program.
Also if you want to continue building on the LSU Brand, you need the exposure of basketball. Like it or not, from a national branding perspective, basketball is second only to football and all others are a distant 3rd.
To not invest money in basketball because it could take away from other sports is fundamental misunderstand of the source of basketball revenue (and ultimately profits).
With the right hire and success, basketball pays for itself. Unlike every other sport on campus (except football).
This post was edited on 1/15/26 at 8:39 pm
Posted on 1/15/26 at 8:59 pm to ellessuuuu
Oh, I've made one or two along the way.
Yes, it is possible to increase MBB revenue but not as much as most think. The bulk of the money comes from the TV contract so that doesn't change based on how good LSU is unless they become another SEC team in the tourny and then it is only a percentage and doesn't help at all if they just bump another SEC team from making it.
National interest is only part of the picture when there is such strong local support for other programs. Local engagement and yes even politics become involved when so many care about the programs.
And nowhere did I say to not invest in MBB. I just said it isn't wise or practical to cut National Championship programs to do so like some are suggesting.
I'll say it again for the ones in the back:
It is impossible to run an Athletic Department where every sport breaks even or turns a profit.
We need donors to step up like they have for all of the other successful program to fix MBB, taking an axe to the winners is not the answer.
I won't even acknowledge the ones that can't even understand the implications of TitleIX and some of their suggestions.
Yes, it is possible to increase MBB revenue but not as much as most think. The bulk of the money comes from the TV contract so that doesn't change based on how good LSU is unless they become another SEC team in the tourny and then it is only a percentage and doesn't help at all if they just bump another SEC team from making it.
National interest is only part of the picture when there is such strong local support for other programs. Local engagement and yes even politics become involved when so many care about the programs.
And nowhere did I say to not invest in MBB. I just said it isn't wise or practical to cut National Championship programs to do so like some are suggesting.
I'll say it again for the ones in the back:
It is impossible to run an Athletic Department where every sport breaks even or turns a profit.
We need donors to step up like they have for all of the other successful program to fix MBB, taking an axe to the winners is not the answer.
I won't even acknowledge the ones that can't even understand the implications of TitleIX and some of their suggestions.
This post was edited on 1/15/26 at 9:01 pm
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:12 pm to SpartanSoul
quote:
Men's basketball fans need to understand that the Athletic department is run as a whole. In any business there are departments/divisions or even products that are operating or sold at a loss.
Those are the departments that get immediately downsized when new management takes over.
quote:
There are intangibles like fan and alumni engagement, student recruiting and general goodwill that come into play along with Title IX implications.
There’s nothing in Title IX that says the women’s basketball coaching staff has to make over $5MM/year.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:13 pm to SpartanSoul
What about season ticket sales, merchandise sales, advertisements for basketball? That’s all new money that doesn’t come at the expense of other sports and it’s income that is largely derived from existing fixed costs. Why not roll the dice and give yourself an opportunity to earn more in return for the fixed costs?
ETA. Agreed you do need donor help, but not nearly as much as sports that always run in the red. Basketball not only finds itself, but it generates a profit helping to pay for other sports that don’t turn a profit.
Your reasoning is very near sighted and flawed. If successful, basketball creates money for non-revenue generating sports.
ETA. Agreed you do need donor help, but not nearly as much as sports that always run in the red. Basketball not only finds itself, but it generates a profit helping to pay for other sports that don’t turn a profit.
Your reasoning is very near sighted and flawed. If successful, basketball creates money for non-revenue generating sports.
This post was edited on 1/15/26 at 9:18 pm
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:25 pm to ellessuuuu
In the 2023-24 year, WBB generated 1/5 the revenue the men’s team generated and had a higher salary costs. Men’s team - which was average at best still earned a 7-figure profit. WBB was $8MM in the red. That isn’t funded by donors, it’s funded by other sports.
Your logic would be sound if basketball didn’t generate a profit.
LINK
Your logic would be sound if basketball didn’t generate a profit.
LINK
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:25 pm to ellessuuuu
quote:
Your reasoning is very near sighted and flawed. If successful, basketball creates money for non-revenue generating sports.
Where is it near sighted and flawed? I have said the situation needs to be fixed and agree about producing money for the AD as a whole.
I just disagree with the ones that are truly shortsighted and want to cut winning programs to turn around MBB. It makes no sense to damage your Championship programs to bring back MBB to then hopefully use the extra revenue generated to then rebuild those programs. Especially when those programs are locally very popular.
There are legitimately people on here saying cut any program that doesn't turn a profit and to end some of the woman's program. That is ridiculous and I can't take it seriously.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:29 pm to LSUbasketballfan
quote:
There’s nothing in Title IX that says the women’s basketball coaching staff has to make over $5MM/year.
Never said it did.
I think it is high myself, but CKM had the backing to make it happen and has produced results. To make any substantial cuts will not go over well to say the least.
The TitleIX I was referring to was in some of the threads you had people saying to whack some of the women's programs. It is a nonstarter and shows their mentality.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:30 pm to Circle K Beggar
quote:
“I want Matt McMahon back for Year 5. Take the heat off the MBB program.”
I don't think many want McMahon back, but Jay has built something and deserves money. Men's basketball is dogshit right now. Bring in the right guy and sure, increase the budget. Until that happens, Jay deserves it way more than McMahon.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:32 pm to SpartanSoul
You pay your WBB coach more than the men’s coach. WBB will never generate more than 20-25% of what MBB generates in a mediocre year. Yes, it makes sense to spend more money on the men’s program.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:36 pm to SpartanSoul
Your logic is reasonable in concept. However, it lacks context, such as the money drain from MBB eclipses the sum of sports like golf, beach volleyball, tennis, softball, women’s soccer, track&field, swim&dive, etc. Staying in the business is not necessarily an awful ideas, but we shouldn’t pay a coach & players top dollar for mediocre (at best) results.
Pay a coach $500K; pay players the minimum values, and enjoy.
Pay a coach $500K; pay players the minimum values, and enjoy.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:37 pm to ellessuuuu
quote:
it’s funded by other sports.
Of course it is. Every AD in the country runs with 2 moneymakers and LSU is lucky to have a third every once in a blue moon. That is just the facts of college sports. Due to the big money being from TV contracts there is no way around it.
Every AD makes their decisions based on what sports are popular at their school.
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:43 pm to ellessuuuu
quote:
If basketball’s profit margin grows with the hiring of a new coach, then it creates additional funding to the athletic department.
Auburn was at the bottom of the SEC before hiring Pearl. Now they're towards the top in terms of revenue. A good hire and a winning season would probably boost LSU's basketball revenue by $5-8mm easily. (Judging based on LSU revenue vs SEC peers.)
Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:45 pm to BeachsideLBC
Th AD is run to fund the other sports that can't fund themselves.
Football is the financial engine and MBB helps.
The money is spent where the fans want it to be (at least in theory). As I've stated above other programs have been built up from nothing and MBB could do it too but if people are expecting all other sports that don't make a profit to be gutted just to save MBB then I think they will be disappointed.
If they announced a major budget cut to WBB there would be a major backlash and I can't see Verge doing it. There may be tweaks but anything like some on here want isn't practical.
Football is the financial engine and MBB helps.
The money is spent where the fans want it to be (at least in theory). As I've stated above other programs have been built up from nothing and MBB could do it too but if people are expecting all other sports that don't make a profit to be gutted just to save MBB then I think they will be disappointed.
If they announced a major budget cut to WBB there would be a major backlash and I can't see Verge doing it. There may be tweaks but anything like some on here want isn't practical.
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