re: This board's obsession with defunding Women's basketball

I wouldn't put too much stock into published numbers one way or the other.

Movie studios, sports teams, etc all use creative accounting and overcharge use of facilities, etc. to show losses for tax reasons.

Popularity of sports programs-- including WBB-- also provides a marketing boost to prospective students. There is value in keeping the program strong beyond just the vanity of being good at it.

That being said, considering the past few months, it wouldn't be overly surprising if the limits of booster generosity is reaching its limits... at the expense of some programs.

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Funny thing is no one says a word when talking about college baseball when the money it makes

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Has nothing to do with the profit and everything to do with the product.

Those arguing to shift more funds to baseball do so because they enjoy watching it significantly more than women playing basketball.

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Also nationally women's basketball is more popular than college baseball.

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Cool

Not at LSU, which is where we are talking about.

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It is dumb for him to use popularity of the sport for an argument anyway

If we follow that rabbit hole the men’s team should still end up getting the funding at the expense of the women’s team as men’s college basketball is far more popular

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Considering tv deals in the future could be a big part of this, yes popularity argument is important. What's dumb is a lot of posters on this board actually think men's basketball lack of success is actually tied to how much money we are spending on women's basketball.

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It's a bunch of male chauvinists on this board. They don't really like women.

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That's pretty obvious. Somebody on here even suggested that you have "low T" if you enjoy women's basketball.

I mean, you must be one of these ignorant red pillers to believe that s@$t. LOL! Manhood has NOTHING to do with what sport you watch.

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That's pretty obvious. Somebody on here even suggested that you have "low T" if you enjoy women's basketball.

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Struck a nerve I see…

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Considering tv deals in the future could be a big part of this, yes popularity argument is important

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Ok so men’s basketball over women’s basketball, we agree

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men's basketball lack of success is actually tied to how much money we are spending on women's basketball

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You still under the impression that college sports are run like it’s 2005?

Revenue is absolutely important to the success of major sports program in 2026. This is especially true of men’s basketball if you have not noticed. The mid majors are being absolutely devastated in the post season by the big programs that invest the most into their programs. You are starting every year with a $20 million dollar revenue deficit now due to revenue share.

You are talking about a nearly $8 million dollar revenue deficit for women’s basketball. If you funded half that into basketball, not only could you help benefit a team that profits, you can cut revenue deficit. Additionally if those tv contracts for women increase, you’d still be getting the benefits of that regardless if you suck or not.

If you could get your men’s program invested in and profiting another 4-5 million by being a regular tournament team and and cutting the women’s revenue deficit in half, you are talking about a net revenue gain of $8-$10 million a year which is extremely significant in the revenue share era

We are in a new world of college sports, so get use to it

The only way to guarantee increased revenue in a major sport is to win, and the only way to win in major college sport is to pump as much money into that program as physically possible. So yes, every dollar not spent on men’s basketball in order to keep women’s basketball afloat has an direct impact on the product in the court

Baseball loses maybe 1 or 2 million on championship runs

WBB loses 8 million

Slight difference and baseball can be profitable on non Omaha years.

The expenses of our current WBB are crazy

That argument sounds logical on the surface, but it falls apart once you understand how college athletics actually operate in 2026.

First, the biggest flaw: money isn’t freely interchangeable the way you’re framing it. Schools can’t just strip millions from women’s basketball and dump it into men’s basketball without consequences. Because of Title IX, athletic departments are legally required to provide proportional opportunities and resources for men and women. So that “just cut women’s spending in half” idea? Not really an option without opening the door to lawsuits and federal compliance issues.

Second, you’re treating women’s basketball like a pure loss with no upside…which is outdated thinking. The explosion of stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has already shifted TV ratings, sponsorships, and media rights. Networks like ESPN are investing more because the audience is growing fast. That means women’s basketball isn’t just an expense, it’s an emerging revenue asset.

Third, your “just spend more to win” model is only partially true. Yes, money helps, but it’s not a guaranteed return. Schools dump millions into men’s basketball every year and still miss tournaments. Meanwhile, smart mid-majors with strong culture and development still break through. If it were purely about spending, the same 10 teams would win every year and they don’t.

Fourth, the revenue-share era actually makes your argument weaker, not stronger. Schools now have to balance entire athletic ecosystems not just one program. Over-investing in one sport while weakening others can hurt:
• compliance (Title IX)
• conference alignment
• brand value across sports
• long-term media negotiations

Finally, the idea that “every dollar not spent on men’s basketball hurts the product” ignores reality: diversified success drives athletic departments now. Women’s basketball, softball, gymnastics, these are growing media properties. Schools that invest early are positioning themselves for future deals, not just current margins.

Bottom line:
It’s not “men vs women” and it’s definitely not “just move the money.” College sports in 2026 is about portfolio strategy, legal balance, and long-term media growth not just dumping cash into one roster and hoping it prints money!

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Baseball use to turn a small profit yearly until recently.

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What changed with this? Was it NIL?

I was always under the impression LSU was one of the few schools that made money off baseball.

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see there lies the problem. no one wants to watch a bad team regardless of the sport.

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Okay well pick 3/4. You can't have all 4. The only school I can think of that regularly funds a legit championship contender in football, MBB, WBB, and Baseball is Texas. The money is finite and while our boosters have really stepped up, I think we can all agree that LSU doesn't have Texas money. No one really does. Maybe you can go "halfway-in" on baseball, WBB, and MBB to keep them all decent but you'll be stuck in purgatory with no championships.

We would all love to win championships in all 4, but it just doesn't happen anywhere. And we aren't about to pick WBB over baseball. Not to mention the extra profit that we can generate from football and MBB can help subsidize every other sport in the athletic dept. And it can attract facility upgrade donations that could benefit WBB and several other sports as well