SpartanSoul

The AD is run "business like" not as a true for-profit business.

Instead of traditional owners and shareholders there are fans, alumni and a BOS to make happy. It has a mission to fund sports that can never realistically break even or turn a profit but are supported and loved. The investment will vary at each school and there is a diminishing return on even MBB since it is overweighted by the TV contract that actual performance has no effect on. Yes it can increase revenue but how much profit is left over depends greatly on how much you spend to make the team better. That is why donors helping cover the expenses they can like buyouts, coach's salaries, NIL and facilities etc. for any sport help the AD and other sports indirectly and help to rebuild MBB is so vital. All sports are limited in how much they can make, for instance MBB while profitable will never make as much as football.

Th AD is run to fund the other sports that can't fund themselves.

Football is the financial engine and MBB helps.

The money is spent where the fans want it to be (at least in theory). As I've stated above other programs have been built up from nothing and MBB could do it too but if people are expecting all other sports that don't make a profit to be gutted just to save MBB then I think they will be disappointed.

If they announced a major budget cut to WBB there would be a major backlash and I can't see Verge doing it. There may be tweaks but anything like some on here want isn't practical.

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There’s nothing in Title IX that says the women’s basketball coaching staff has to make over $5MM/year.

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Never said it did.

I think it is high myself, but CKM had the backing to make it happen and has produced results. To make any substantial cuts will not go over well to say the least.

The TitleIX I was referring to was in some of the threads you had people saying to whack some of the women's programs. It is a nonstarter and shows their mentality.

Oh, I've made one or two along the way.

Yes, it is possible to increase MBB revenue but not as much as most think. The bulk of the money comes from the TV contract so that doesn't change based on how good LSU is unless they become another SEC team in the tourny and then it is only a percentage and doesn't help at all if they just bump another SEC team from making it.

National interest is only part of the picture when there is such strong local support for other programs. Local engagement and yes even politics become involved when so many care about the programs.

And nowhere did I say to not invest in MBB. I just said it isn't wise or practical to cut National Championship programs to do so like some are suggesting.

I'll say it again for the ones in the back:

It is impossible to run an Athletic Department where every sport breaks even or turns a profit.

We need donors to step up like they have for all of the other successful program to fix MBB, taking an axe to the winners is not the answer.

I won't even acknowledge the ones that can't even understand the implications of TitleIX and some of their suggestions.

I love how he calls it bribery like he is a mayor being offered money for a trash contract.

That's just "A damn strong offer".

Men's basketball fans need to understand that the Athletic department is run as a whole. In any business there are departments/divisions or even products that are operating or sold at a loss.

There are intangibles like fan and alumni engagement, student recruiting and general goodwill that come into play along with Title IX implications.

The "lesser" sports MBB fans bitch about have built up their programs through donor support and hard work.

Skip busted his arse to build LSU Baseball into what we have today and so did the early fans. It was not always the powerhouse it is today.

WBB took forever to build and had several "almost" moments until Mulkey came and put them over the hump. There are a ton of engaged fans, and donors.

Track and Field "loses" money but has the most National Championships on campus.

Gymnastic was built from the ground up by D-D and put over the hump by Clark. They have outstanding attendance and support including donors that built then a world class training center BEFORE winning the Natty. These are not bandwagon fans and donors.

Which brings up to MBB. Where is the support beside bitching on here and wanting to cut the sports that actually win Championships? If there are so many that care so much why has there been no organizing and grassroots fundraising etc.?

MBB fans love to say other sports are niche sports that "nobody cares about" but baseball can take over Omaha and has the attendance record for what seems like forever now. The WBB pack the PMAC and can get a million $ locker room and gymnastics also packs the PMAC and can get this facility built (seriously click and look).

https://www.lsugym.com/gymnastics-training-facility/

If so many care about MBB, then where are they and what are they doing?

I want MBB fixed because it is an embarrassment, but I don't think it should be at the expense of other National Championship winning programs.

The way to save MBB will be through finding donors to help not killing successful programs to try to revive a dead one.

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Everybody sees the old building, but how about the court that hasn’t been refreshed in 15 years? The bland uniforms? The fan experience? Everything is the same as it was in 2010.

No juice.

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But the Ladies pack the PMAc and it is rocking. The problem is not the building.

I do want the new arena though.

Recruiting Prediction Machine

https://www.on3.com/news/on3-releases-recruiting-prediction-machine-rpm/

I posted this in one of the anchored threads


The question is where the real support for MBB with donors is etc.?

Everyone knows LSU is a baseball school since Skip but look at how gymnastics built up over the years and became what they are. It didn't happen overnight and took a ton of work. They won a Natty because of the fans supporting the program, they didn't just luck into it and have bandwagon fans jump on. They are now at the top of the sport and have an amazing facility, tons of fans and donor who will help. D-D put in tons of work to make it happen.

https://www.lsugym.com/gymnastics-training-facility/

WBB fans would burn down Verge's office if Mulkey called them out. They pack the PMac and have donors. Hell, they have a million $ dressing room.

Nobody seems to care enough to actually DO anything or give money to MBB. Most are just apathetic. It will take more than just bitching on TD to make a change.

They have to have support to get a good coach but how do you get the support without a good coach? It is a chicken and the egg type of problem.

Cutting any of the National Championship winning programs to save MBB will no go over well at all.

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So stop bitching about a sport that makes money. Start bitching about the ones that don’t!

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The problem for basketball is that more fans/donors love those money losing sports than seem to care about MBB. MBB fans may not like it but MBB is in like 5th spot for fan support and most of the money MBB brings in is going to come in whether they are good or suck since it is from the TV deal.

I think Verge will try to fix the situation, but he will need donor support, he has probably been working on that already.

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But LSU is already allocating a smaller percentage of rev share to baseball (that is going to MBB) than Ole Miss. that’s a problem

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But is that being made up by donors/NIL deals? It is hard to know since LSU is kind of unique with the love of the baseball program.

I would hope it is, and if it isn't it needs to be fixed.