O'Day: Money may be too great an obstacle for game between Appalachian St and UM
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I mentioned earlier in the week that there was a strong possibility that Appalachian State, back-to back FCS National Champions, would be coming to Missoula during the 2007 season. I exchanged emails with AD Jim O'Day earlier today and it looks like the matchup is unlikely for a wide variety of reasons.I have only skimmed his response and wanted to get it up as soon as possible before doing any real analysis or stating my opinion.
His email, in its entirety, is after the jump.
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Would love to play App State, but the cost may be too high for both schools. Trouble flying in and out of Boone and Missoula. We both estimate about $125,000… which most likely won’t be doable for either this year as we try to pay our bills. The cost of travel to some of these “remote” places is making scheduling more and more challenging and difficult. Everyone has to pay their bills, and wants some money in return for making the trip. Boise is paying in the neighborhood of $185,000 for a guarantee game, and we’re already at $125,000 being offered… with few takers. They say it would cost almost that much just to fly into Missoula and pay accompanying bills.
Because of our deficit, we were forced the past four years to buy out “return trips” to Hofstra, Cal Poly and South Dakota State (plus two more home games vs. Central Washington) – which hasn’t made UM very popular- and the word spreads. However, you have to do what you have to do to keep the program up and running. First Wayne Hogan had to make that decision, then Don Read, and now, me. By getting out of the deficit this year – and having more funding from the payoff of the north end zone and new stadium suite leases (first time in 20 years), we will see some light at the end of the tunnel. Fiscal Year 2007-08, however, is all about funding. Without the Griz-Cat game in Missoula (we net about $500,000 from that game) and a Division I guarantee (we netted about $500,000 from the Iowa game), we find ourselves battling a funding imbalance next year. In addition, by paying off the debt, we will no longer receive the $4/student football ticketing fee, nor much of the deficit elimination money (Collegiate Licensing, concessions, license plates, Coke contract), which will be significantly reduced, plus rent and other expenses are expected to increase by about $100,000. Thus, expenses will be increased somewhat, and revenues will be decreased. The difference is about a $500,000-$600,000 nut that we are facing…. And working through. It will, however, prevent us from paying a larger guarantee to someone wanting to come to Missoula this year…. Thus the reasons why we probably can’t provide someone like Appalachian State with enough to get here and still allow them to make money.
A lot of the top tier Football Championship Subdivision schools are having similar scheduling problems. Home games mean a lot to them, and thus, they are having to pay out guarantees or work out other funding options. At last count, App had two games still to schedule, Cal Poly had three (and needs all at home, plus they’re offering a guarantee of $90,000) and North Dakota State had four. It’s also harder for those of us in the Western United States because of the few I-AA opponents out here. Others are willing to play, but want us to go there first because of past history. At this point, I have two options: Find a I-AA to come to Missoula for an acceptable price, or play a I-A guarantee on the road – leaving us with six home games. There are very few Division I guarantees out there willing to talk to us. Most are scheduled through 2011 (last year was an exception because the 12th game ruling didn’t come down until January so they were all scrambling to find another game --- and a home game to those schools means significant dollars…. Iowa probably netted around $2.5 million playing the Griz). Except for the larger schools, most I-A guarantees range in the neighborhood of $150,000-$250,000… and we currently net about $300,000 for a home football game, depending on the guarantee we might have to pay out. Some of the Division I schools are also very particular as to whom they are willing to play… who wants to be the next Colorado or New Mexico to lose to a talented I-AA school at home? Disaster! Minnesota almost did the same last year with North Dakota State before escaping with a 10-9 win when NDSU had a short field goal blocked late in the game. Instead, they’d rather play a guaranteed win for a smaller fee… thus, making larger profits. We all look at “net” to the program, thus meaning those who are able to fly out of and into large metropolitan areas (even to the extent of Spokane, Portland and Salt Lake), as well as those where you can bus (most East Coast teams, plus Northern Arizona – Phoenix or Tucson) don’t need as much guarantee to make it work. This is different for Montana and Montana State, where expenses to fly in and out of this state are extremely high.
Economically, we have to be very sensitive to decisions made in the past that backfired. We have many people watching our financial situation very closely --- all the way up to the Regent level. We can not get out of hand as in the past when we made very expensive (and money-losing) trips to Hawaii, Hofstra and Maine --- and didn’t have the revenue streams to offset these high travel expenses. Down the road, we should be in much better position to do so. That being said, we are looking at some good home-and-home games with I-AA opponents, and most likely will have to get into some type of guarantee for our final game this year – which limits teams willing to come to Missoula.
It gets more and more challenging and complicating by the year… but we all learn a lot…. Especially from some schools whose coaches definitely do not want to see Montana on their schedule – both at the I-A and I-AA level. Scheduling is also becoming tougher and tougher for men’s and women’s basketball for the Griz teams as Robin Selvig and Wayne Tinkle will attest. It’s a new era.
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