DRC: UNT athletics preparing for huge financial hit due to COVID-19

Brett Vito · March 29, 2020

Salsa_Verde · March 29, 2020

Judy has no plan.

Aquila_Viridis · March 30, 2020

1 hour ago, Salsa_Verde said:

Judy has no plan.

But she's got a strong command of corporate nonsense speak, and that should serve her well in these unprecedented times.

DeepGreen · March 30, 2020

2 hours ago, Salsa_Verde said:

Judy has no plan.

And Judy just being Judy.

El Paso Eagle · March 30, 2020

Not understanding the losses other than the BB revenue and the Don January (which can be rescheduled). The others spring sports are more likely to be areas that are not usually revenue makers, so not to sound like an ass, they will probably be less of a loss. As far as enrollment for student fees, the students are already enrolled.

Salsa_Verde · March 30, 2020

Yeah I didn’t understand that part either. As far as I know I pay tuition and all the fees attached to it by a certain date....sooooo I don’t know where the short fall on student fees is coming from?

meangreenJW · March 30, 2020

2 hours ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Not understanding the losses other than the BB revenue and the Don January (which can be rescheduled). The others spring sports are more likely to be areas that are not usually revenue makers, so not to sound like an ass, they will probably be less of a loss. As far as enrollment for student fees, the students are already enrolled.

Seems like there's some unknowns. But UNT announced its refunding students that lived on campus prorated for the remainder of the semester as of last week. That would mean roughly 6 weeks living rent and meal plans being refunded. I don't know how many we have living on campus but has to be somewhere between 6,000 and 8,000 I'd think. Assuming the lesser number of 6,000 at a refund cost of $1,500 each (remaining rooms and meals) that would be $9 million. It's just the start and I assumed low end of all of those numbers. Then summer enrollment has to be suffering from this I'd imagine. Summer isn't as big as fall and spring but a school like UNT in a metro area probably does pretty well in the summer. Kids that come home for the summer often take classes at UNT. UNT has a TON of international students. The fall enrollment numbers for those kids have to be in bad shape I'd guess. It seems Vito's point is, there's a lot of unknowns. But if this continues, it most definitely will hurt enrollment. Enrollment would hurt athletics directly (less students = less athletic fee) and indirectly (University suffers they will have less to give athletics). Like many businesses, I'm sure UNT is hoping like hell this thing gets under control. so many are suffering.

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · March 30, 2020

Just what we needed.

DeepGreen · March 30, 2020

And whatever NCAA distributions were to have received this year will be greatly reduced.

My thinking is this- could this be the beginning of the haves and have nots going their separate ways?

MeanGreenTexan · March 30, 2020

30 minutes ago, DeepGreen said:

And whatever NCAA distributions were to have received this year will be greatly reduced.

My thinking is this- could this be the beginning of the haves and have nots going their separate ways?

I think NT leadership has put us in a good enough spot that we'll be OK.

It's schools like LA-Mo, LA-La, LATech, SJSU, and other FCS/DII schools in California,Louisiana & other struggling states that are already skating on extremely thin ice financially who may suffer a terrible fate.

untjim1995 · March 30, 2020

1 hour ago, DeepGreen said:

And whatever NCAA distributions were to have received this year will be greatly reduced.

My thinking is this- could this be the beginning of the haves and have nots going their separate ways?

I sure hope so.

Those NFL-lite programs have no business playing us and we have no business playing FCS schools. I find it amazing that people here gladly accept the fact that our level of play is THE only level of any football that doesn't crown a champion. SO unfair to the players, coaches, and fans of all of these schools.

Wag Tag · March 30, 2020

I think this is going to magnify the importance of regional competition. Save the money on travel and hopefully be able to increase attendance!

wardly · March 30, 2020

So are we still expected to pay for football season tickets and parking in April without knowing if there will be a season? Just asking.

KRAM1 · March 30, 2020

7 minutes ago, wardly said:

So are we still expected to pay for football season tickets and parking in April without knowing if there will be a season? Just asking.

Already paid for my season tickets and made my Mean Green Scholarship Fund donation for the year. Figured it might help "bridge the gap" financially during these troubled times. I am 100% certain that should anything happen to the season, Wren would allow me to either roll the payments and donation over to the next season or offer me the option of a full refund of both. I would hope that anyone who is able to do so financially go ahead an pay for season tickets and make your Mean Green Scholarship Fund donation. Only if you are able, of course, but if you are it could really help the department sail the ship through these troubled waters.

Salsa_Verde · April 1, 2020

I heard on a podcast that Tilman Fertita was bleeding money right now. Owner of the Rockets and the only UH supporter Cougar fans mention when they talk about having mountains of cash.

Venson · April 1, 2020

On 3/30/2020 at 11:21 AM, wardly said:

So are we still expected to pay for football season tickets and parking in April without knowing if there will be a season? Just asking.

No. It has been extended to June 30.

MeanGreenTexan · April 1, 2020

5 hours ago, Salsa_Verde said:

I heard on a podcast that Tilman Fertita was bleeding money right now. Owner of the Rockets and the only UH supporter Cougar fans mention when they talk about having mountains of cash.

Casinos & Restaurants... 2 bad industries to be in at this particular moment.

Meanwhile... with so many loopholes in the Tax code, NT's guy is doing just fine.

97and03 · April 1, 2020

Do people only make the donation for seat benefits? I mean I will make my donation either way because I do it to support the students. I can understand holding to buy tickets but the donation should be a no brainer (unless you are having financial difficulties obviously).

Christopher Walker · April 2, 2020

On 3/29/2020 at 9:36 PM, El Paso Eagle said:

As far as enrollment for student fees, the students are already enrolled.

Retention of existing students and preventing a massive melt of the incoming class is of major concern to campus leadership right now in this pandemic.

xyresic · April 2, 2020

Tough situation, but timing wise we are fortunate. If this happened under the Jackson/Rawlins shortfall & audit years athletics would have been in trouble.

I'm confident Wren will have us positioned as well as possible from an athletic standpoint. From a University level the school is riding a multiyear wave of record freshman enrollment & donations. I'm sure it's not all going exactly to plan but as @MeanGreenTexan said with the University's current momentum we are in better shape than many others.

MCMLXXX · April 2, 2020

I would think that the current situation will offset some enrollment losses in that more students may decide to stay closer to home and perhaps commute. Our location should help.

97and03 · April 3, 2020

7 hours ago, MCMLXXX said:

I would think that the current situation will offset some enrollment losses in that more students may decide to stay closer to home and perhaps commute. Our location should help.

Many people will return to school for a new career after losing their jobs, unfortunately.

Coach Andy Mac · April 3, 2020

7 hours ago, MCMLXXX said:

I would think that the current situation will offset some enrollment losses in that more students may decide to stay closer to home and perhaps commute. Our location should help.

👆👆👆👆👆👆x1000

wardly · April 6, 2020

On ‎3‎/‎30‎/‎2020 at 11:35 AM, KRAM1 said:

Already paid for my season tickets and made my Mean Green Scholarship Fund donation for the year. Figured it might help "bridge the gap" financially during these troubled times. I am 100% certain that should anything happen to the season, Wren would allow me to either roll the payments and donation over to the next season or offer me the option of a full refund of both. I would hope that anyone who is able to do so financially go ahead an pay for season tickets and make your Mean Green Scholarship Fund donation. Only if you are able, of course, but if you are it could really help the department sail the ship through these troubled waters.

Well, I renewed both my season tickets and made my MGSF donation, but don't think there will be a season, and even if there is at 77years old if Virus is still around this fall I won't attend games.

Huff · April 7, 2020

I feel similar to Wardly .. I will be 78 when the season starts. I am going to buy my tickets and give my money but with my health issues going to the games - if we have games- might not be the smartest thing I have ever done. I am pretty sure this stuff. Is a long way from over.