N'Eastern...Hofstra...Maine?!?

[bluehenbillk]

I hope this is just a rumor...however, two of my former students are current members of the team and have heard that there is a possibility of cutting the program. Hopefully it's just kids talking out their *** and not events to come.


That would be terrible.

If its a rumor amongst players, then the school has problems. Hopefully someone will address is (either way) and move on. Putting kids in limbo is a mistake.

The main source I heard things from is from a player. I didn't hear it directly but a guy I work with is best friends with the kids dad.

[danefan]

I hope this is just a rumor...however, two of my former students are current members of the team and have heard that there is a possibility of cutting the program. Hopefully it's just kids talking out their *** and not events to come.


That would be terrible.

Well coming from someone involved with the team I can tell you these rumors were squashed months ago, its not happening football isn't going anywhere. Football at Maine breaks even every year there is no financial loss, with the 1A game we play we end up not losing any money.

Apparently the rumors have new life?

I have a hard time believing football breaks even without any support from the University. Perhaps last year with the double payout (Cuse and FSU), but its very rare for FCS teams to bring in that amount of revenue on a yearly basis.

Even the EADA reporting, in which school generally overstate their revenue, shows UMaine in the red for the 08-09 reporting year.

Revenue - $2,880,259
Expenses - ($3,379,296)
Profit/(Loss) - ($499,037)

So the program may not cost the millions of dollars the opponents are claiming, but it has to cost the University something in the range of hundreds of thousands. Maine just doesn't have the attendance to suggest otherwise. Now if there's a benefactor that picks up the difference every year, then its a different story. I know there was a donor that helped pay for the stadium renovations. Does that person continue to donate?

[MaineBlackBear]

Well coming from someone involved with the team I can tell you these rumors were squashed months ago, its not happening football isn't going anywhere. Football at Maine breaks even every year there is no financial loss, with the 1A game we play we end up not losing any money.

Apparently the rumors have new life?

I have a hard time believing football breaks even without any support from the University. Perhaps last year with the double payout (Cuse and FSU), but its very rare for FCS teams to bring in that amount of revenue on a yearly basis.

Even the EADA reporting, in which school generally overstate their revenue, shows UMaine in the red for the 08-09 reporting year.

Revenue - $2,880,259
Expenses - ($3,379,296)
Profit/(Loss) - ($499,037)

So the program may not cost the millions of dollars the opponents are claiming, but it has to cost the University something in the range of hundreds of thousands. Maine just doesn't have the attendance to suggest otherwise. Now if there's a benefactor that picks up the difference every year, then its a different story. I know there was a donor that helped pay for the stadium renovations. Does that person continue to donate?

well I don't know where that is from, but that is contrary to everything Blake James our AD has said, most of UMaines football spending comes from charter flights which are paid for by donations, from the likes of the Alfond family etc.. and I we didn't get a double pay out last year, the deal was if FSU found us another opponent (Syracuse) they didn't have to pay. Or at least that is what they are telling us up here.

[danefan]

Apparently the rumors have new life?

I have a hard time believing football breaks even without any support from the University. Perhaps last year with the double payout (Cuse and FSU), but its very rare for FCS teams to bring in that amount of revenue on a yearly basis.

Even the EADA reporting, in which school generally overstate their revenue, shows UMaine in the red for the 08-09 reporting year.

Revenue - $2,880,259
Expenses - ($3,379,296)
Profit/(Loss) - ($499,037)

So the program may not cost the millions of dollars the opponents are claiming, but it has to cost the University something in the range of hundreds of thousands. Maine just doesn't have the attendance to suggest otherwise. Now if there's a benefactor that picks up the difference every year, then its a different story. I know there was a donor that helped pay for the stadium renovations. Does that person continue to donate?

well I don't know where that is from, but that is contrary to everything Blake James our AD has said, most of UMaines football spending comes from charter flights which are paid for by donations, from the likes of the Alfond family etc.. and I we didn't get a double pay out last year, the deal was if FSU found us another opponent (Syracuse) they didn't have to pay. Or at least that is what they are telling us up here.

The numbers are self-reported by Maine to the US department of education.

You can look them up here: http://www.ope.ed.gov/athletics/GetOneI ... nData.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They are from the Reporting Year: 7/1/2008 - 6/30/2009
Reporting Official at Maine is Katie Herbine, Associate Athletic Director for Compliance/SWA

[umbear2017]

I've been going to Black Bear football games since I was an infant. There's nothing better than going to a UM football game in early fall. Myself, and many, would lose total respect for the university if they dropped football. We have a fairly new stadium (1998) and we just put in new turf. The state schools in the CAA are pretty safe, including Rhody.

[dgreco]

^If RI continues to have budget problems I can see the school having to make some changes in athletics, moving URI down to the NEC is an easy way to make some cuts. If the CAA continues to grow and stadiums continue to grow URI might not be able to keep up. I think there is a small chance they would drop the sport, but who knows.

[LastMinuteman]

Moving to the NEC won't save URI any money when you factor in the loss of revenue from FBS games. Adding a second FBS game would do more for their balance sheet than dropping 20 scholarships.

[clenz]

I've been going to Black Bear football games since I was an infant. There's nothing better than going to a UM football game in early fall. Myself, and many, would lose total respect for the university if they dropped football. We have a fairly new stadium (1998) and we just put in new turf. The state schools in the CAA are pretty safe, including Rhody.

Things may be different in the NE but I wouldn't say just because a school is a state school it is safe.

Up until about a month ago the BOR was looking at forcing UNI to drop football.

[Col Hogan]

I've been going to Black Bear football games since I was an infant. There's nothing better than going to a UM football game in early fall. Myself, and many, would lose total respect for the university if they dropped football. We have a fairly new stadium (1998) and we just put in new turf. The state schools in the CAA are pretty safe, including Rhody.

Things may be different in the NE but I wouldn't say just because a school is a state school it is safe.

Up until about a month ago the BOR was looking at forcing UNI to drop football.

Yep, the University of Vermont dropped football...back in 1974...

Just because you are a state school does not offer automatic protection...

[clenz]

Moving to the NEC won't save URI any money when you factor in the loss of revenue from FBS games. Adding a second FBS game would do more for their balance sheet than dropping 20 scholarships.

That largely depends on the pay day they are getting from that FBS game.

I looked at the tuition for URI and did some math. I figured out of those 20 scholarships 14 of them would be out of state tuition, I didn't look at URI's roster so i don't know what % of their roster is in state players so my numbers may be off. That came to $346,304 in tuition the athletic department wouldn't have to cover. I think figured the other 6 were in state residents, and that total came to just under 50K. That means dropping 20 scholaships, at t14 OS and 6 IS tuition rates would save the school just short of 400K.

I don't know what the ACC or Big East schools play but B10 schools don't offer 400 or 500K very easy for local games.

[danefan]

Moving to the NEC won't save URI any money when you factor in the loss of revenue from FBS games. Adding a second FBS game would do more for their balance sheet than dropping 20 scholarships.

A drop to the NEC means an overall decrease in lines in the budget besides just scholarships (e.g. coaching salaries, recruiting expenses, etc...).

URI spends about $3.8 million right now on football. That's double what the largest football budget in the NEC is (Monmouth $1.9 million). NEC teams range from $1.2 million to $1.9 per year.

URI would immediately cut its budget in half and would be in a much better position competitively then they are now.

In fact, the more you look at it, its almost inevitable that they move to the NEC in the very near future.

[danefan]

^If RI continues to have budget problems I can see the school having to make some changes in athletics, moving URI down to the NEC is an easy way to make some cuts. If the CAA continues to grow and stadiums continue to grow URI might not be able to keep up. I think there is a small chance they would drop the sport, but who knows.

Good to see you back D.

[dgreco]

^If RI continues to have budget problems I can see the school having to make some changes in athletics, moving URI down to the NEC is an easy way to make some cuts. If the CAA continues to grow and stadiums continue to grow URI might not be able to keep up. I think there is a small chance they would drop the sport, but who knows.

Good to see you back D.

Thanks the extensions kept me working longer hours a little longer than I wanted.

[mainejeff]

OK, I've heard this now at 3 different places, nothing in print to post a link to, but that football at Maine is coming to an end, just a matter of when.

Can anyone else speak to this??

I've heard from 7 different sources that Delaware is considering jumping to the Big Ten or ACC.........you better believe me because I'm a Maine fan and know everything about Delaware........I can't provide any sources or links though.

[GannonFan]

OK, I've heard this now at 3 different places, nothing in print to post a link to, but that football at Maine is coming to an end, just a matter of when.

Can anyone else speak to this??

I've heard from 7 different sources that Delaware is considering jumping to the Big Ten or ACC.........you better believe me because I'm a Maine fan and know everything about Delaware........I can't provide any sources or links though.

Well, truth be told, you do seem to be on the Delaware boards more than anywhere else, so that doesn't sound so far-fetched.

[BDKJMU]

I can't see either Maine dropping football at their state flagship school and becoming only the 2nd state in the lower 48 without Div I football after Vermont. According to wiki, Vermont is the 8th smallest state, and ranked 49th in population just ahead of Wyoming, with only 600+k people. Maine is the 40th largest, and ranked 39 in population, with over 1.3 million.

RI---maybe. The smallest state is basically the size of a typical county, 43rd in population. 09' estimate still more poeple than Montana, Delaware, SD, Alaska, ND, Vermont and Wyoming. Maybe they drop to the NEC, but I would be very surprised if they dropped football period.

[TheBisonator]

I can't believe URI spends $3.8 million per year on football. NDSU spends about $3.3 million per year on football, and we make probably 5 times the money in annual ticket sales than URI does. How does URI make that 3.8 million back if they only get 4,000-5,000 fans per game??

[LastMinuteman]

Only a small percentage of programs get their money back on college athletics. That's not why you do it. Think about how much money per year a large state university spends on landscaping, yet they've never sold a single ticket to anyone to look at a well-maintained campus common. It still adds value to the university. It's part of what separates going to Maine or URI vs. going to the University of Phoenix.