CNN Money: Record profits for D1 college football

[west-texan]

If I read this right, schools in the big 6 BCS conferences made an average profit of $15.8 million.

While only 8 bowl eligible schools lost money.

And the "loss" may not be that much because D1 schools usually attract more students and more donations and more academic research funding than D2 schools like WT.

And that NCAA Division I athletics program is going to bring a lot more money to a university than just what comes from games because D1 schools are at the top of the ladder for getting state funding.

money.cnn.com/2010/12/29/news/companies/college_football_dollars/

[buffalorunning]

WT is closer in comparison to NMSU than Boise State. Lets compare the NMSU situation.

NMSU in Las Cruces is located in a city of about 125,000 and 45 miles from El Paso with a population of 800,000. They also have to compete for students with UTEP.

NMSU has long ago exempted El Paso County kids from out of state tuition fees to help get more students. UTEP has 25,000 while NMSU has 18,000 enrollment. NMSU has 10,000 more students than WT and is members of the WAC which has received more $$$$ since Boise State has made it to a couple BCS games. Boise State joins the Mountain West in 2011. NMSU athletics is not profitable. It loses money.

NMSU has not been to a bowl game since 1960 when they were still in the Border Conference with WT. NMSU does not have any significant corporations as sponsors despite being D1. If NMSU's enrollment was only 8,000 like WT do you think NMSU's D1 program would stay solvent? I don't.

WT must get enrollment of at least 12,000 before they can even think about D1. WT and Angelo State both compete against Tech and since Tech has low academic acceptance standards anyone who wants to go to Tech goes. WT needs to keep doing what the are doing. Improve the campus housing, parking, programs, and start advertising in the Metro Plex.

I was in Dallas Luv Field airport and I saw a UTPB advertisements all over the place and I googled UTPB enrollment and UTPB increased enrollment this past fall by 14%. Imagine is WT increased enrollment by 14% that would be 1200 increase to 9200!!!!

[west-texan]

WT doesn't do jack for advertising itself outside the Amarillo area.

And WT is closer to Boise State than New Mexico State.

Why?

Because at D1.......the WT record against NMSU is New Mexico State 26-11-2.

At D1...WT beat NMSU....26 times!

WT could have a bad year and still stomp the crap out of NMSU.

And the entire D2 shenanigans is about keeping WT small.

D2 makes WT look small and lame and scares off many students who then go to Tech.

People who wanted WT to not grow...are the people who pushed for WT to drop to D2.

At D1.......the WT enrollment would start increasing again.

D1 football is what built Texas Tech.

[willard]

So, are you implying that if WT went D-I, it would immediately be BCS and in the chips?.....Do you seriously believe that? If so, you're in a dreamworld or on something......

If WT went D-I, it would be FCS with no bowls and playing biggies like SFA, SHSU, No. Colo., Cal-Davis. (But still in a playoff system which is what the BCS needs.).....Also no big profits but saddled with a much larger budget (at least 50% more).....Oh, but I forgot, you and your buddies would be so giddy because WT is D-I that your wallets would open up.....Np problemo!!

Come on, guy.....get real.....And get a life.....You need one bad....

[west-texan]

No one said anything about WT being BCS.

But if you notice a boat-load of non-BCS schools went to bowls and only 8 of them did not make a profit.

And yes...WT would have to spend at least 3 to 5 years in D1AA-FCS.

On the way to moving back to FBS where WT was from 1910 to 1981.

Many schools have or will have moved right through FCS on the way to FBS.

You have been following Georgia State and UTSA...right?

And Lamar also wants to go FBS very soon after restarting football.

[buffalorunning]

I think enrollment increase greatly if WT would promote itself in the DFW area.

Tech was not built on a D1 program. Tech was built on the fact that Gov. Preston Smith a Tech Alumni forced the Southwest Conference to admit Tech. If Tech stayed in the Border Conference they would be about 15,000 enrollment and playing in the Southland Conference with Stephen F Austin. No honest Tech Alumni denies that getting into the SWC by hook or crook is what made Tech.

[west-texan]

I said D1 when I really meant SWC.

But the entire D1 vs D2 thing has helped Tech draw thousands of potential students away from WT.

Since D1 is what everyone hears about and cares about.

And D1 would go a long way toward helping WT get more state funding.

WT is losing big money at D2 with less students and less state funding.

[buffalorunning]

I agree that WT lost the battle to be the dominate University in west texas when Tech joined the SWC. WT should have responded but the Missouri Valley era never worked out for WT.

It is important for several West Texas kids want to attend a SWC/Big 12 school. To me it was not that important but to most it is. I would love to see WT at D1 even if it were the FCS level.

[buffalorunning]

Tech pays Tubby 2.1 Million a year and McElroy got a pay raise to be Tech's OLine coach over the Tarleton Head Coach. How can WT even begin to meet those salaries?

[west-texan]

Tech is paying a top level BCS salary to Tuberville.

Let's be realistic and see what a high profile FCS coach was just recently hired for.

$350K in FCS (D1-AA) is nowhere near $2.1 million for a BCS coach. ;D

FCS is more affordable while WT ramps up the fund-raising to where it should be.

But it is time for WTAMU to do a bigger and better branding of our university.

D1 has certainly paid off with growth and more students at Texas Tech.

But D2 has really not helped WT to grow as a university.

www.statesman.com/sports/collegefootball/dennis-franchione-returns-to-the-helm-at-texas-1171257.html



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