FC/OT: Financial reality of big time college sports hits U Maryland…

Midnighter

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Marshall2323

All-Conference
Aug 7, 2024
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Why is it always the losing programs that are paying the coaches too much, and the winning programs constantly renegotiate contracts? Football drives the bus and a winning program brings enough revenue to keep the ship afloat.
Imagine what would happen at PSU if they went 6-6 or 7-5 for the next three years with a $750,000 renovation bill coming due? Some coaches are talking about several 50 million dollar rosters this season in "college sports."
Everyone knows that Maryland didn't fire Locksley because they couldn't pay his buyout and add another monster contract for a new staff. It seems inevitable that big ten schools may soon have to look at some non-revenue generating sports.



Kyle Whittingham has fans shook up over strong $50 million prediction
 
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BobPSU92

Heisman
Aug 22, 2001
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Why is it always the losing programs that are paying the coaches too much, and the winning programs constantly renegotiate contracts? Football drives the bus and a winning program brings enough revenue to keep the ship afloat.
Imagine what would happen at PSU if they went 6-6 or 7-5 for the next three years with a $750,000 renovation bill coming due? Some coaches are talking about several 50 million dollar rosters this season in "college sports."
Everyone knows that Maryland didn't fire Locksley because they couldn't pay his buyout and add another monster contract for a new staff. It seems inevitable that big ten schools may soon have to look at some non-revenue generating sports.



Kyle Whittingham has fans shook up over strong $50 million prediction

If only it were $750k. Need more zeroes. Fortunately, PSU has plenty of zeroes.

😞
 

RolexKong

Senior
Aug 15, 2025
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Why is it always the losing programs that are paying the coaches too much, and the winning programs constantly renegotiate contracts? Football drives the bus and a winning program brings enough revenue to keep the ship afloat.
Imagine what would happen at PSU if they went 6-6 or 7-5 for the next three years with a $750,000 renovation bill coming due? Some coaches are talking about several 50 million dollar rosters this season in "college sports."
Everyone knows that Maryland didn't fire Locksley because they couldn't pay his buyout and add another monster contract for a new staff. It seems inevitable that big ten schools may soon have to look at some non-revenue generating sports.



Kyle Whittingham has fans shook up over strong $50 million prediction
So football drives the bus? Without it's share of the Big Ten's media rights contract for men's basketball, I repeat men's basketball, PSU's athletic department is $8.5 million in the hole.
 

Midnighter

Heisman
Jan 22, 2021
12,102
20,107
113
Why is it always the losing programs that are paying the coaches too much, and the winning programs constantly renegotiate contracts? Football drives the bus and a winning program brings enough revenue to keep the ship afloat.
Imagine what would happen at PSU if they went 6-6 or 7-5 for the next three years with a $750,000 renovation bill coming due? Some coaches are talking about several 50 million dollar rosters this season in "college sports."
Everyone knows that Maryland didn't fire Locksley because they couldn't pay his buyout and add another monster contract for a new staff. It seems inevitable that big ten schools may soon have to look at some non-revenue generating sports.



Kyle Whittingham has fans shook up over strong $50 million prediction

If you read the rest of the post the author suggests it’s not coaching salaries that are the issue, rather outdated revenue streams that are not resilient enough to withstand substantial funding flictuations (such as state appropriations).
 
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IrishHerb

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Oct 13, 2021
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I for one have always been of a mindset that colleges and universities were for educating their students. Sports and other activities were later added because young folk needed physical and other activity to keep going. Today I feel like the sports programs at the college level (especially Div 1) has gotten out of control. Basically they've become pro sport farm systems. Why doesn't the NFL, NBA, etc have farm systems like MLB does?
 

RolexKong

Senior
Aug 15, 2025
445
427
63
I for one have always been of a mindset that colleges and universities were for educating their students. Sports and other activities were later added because young folk needed physical and other activity to keep going. Today I feel like the sports programs at the college level (especially Div 1) has gotten out of control. Basically they've become pro sport farm systems. Why doesn't the NFL, NBA, etc have farm systems like MLB does?
Because they are provided for free by the colleges.
 

WaffleShopper

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Sep 20, 2023
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In addition to coaches, there are also a lot of university presidents who are vastly overpaid. I think the entire higher education industry needs a reset.
I think administrative bloat is a much bigger problem than presidents’ salaries. It makes me nauseous to read all the ridiculous titles of people in six figure positions to which my tuition money goes. Universities are being run like gigantic, uncontrollable government entities and yet they wonder why alumni don’t give more.
 

bbrown

Heisman
Jul 26, 2001
14,116
28,785
113
Why is it always the losing programs that are paying the coaches too much, and the winning programs constantly renegotiate contracts? Football drives the bus and a winning program brings enough revenue to keep the ship afloat.
Imagine what would happen at PSU if they went 6-6 or 7-5 for the next three years with a $750,000 renovation bill coming due? Some coaches are talking about several 50 million dollar rosters this season in "college sports."
Everyone knows that Maryland didn't fire Locksley because they couldn't pay his buyout and add another monster contract for a new staff. It seems inevitable that big ten schools may soon have to look at some non-revenue generating sports.



Kyle Whittingham has fans shook up over strong $50 million prediction
Not to mention their mens bball team used to be their bell cow, now it's the Woman's. But I guess they always have lacrosse...oh no wait, never mind.:ROFLMAO:
 

bbrown

Heisman
Jul 26, 2001
14,116
28,785
113
If you read the rest of the post the author suggests it’s not coaching salaries that are the issue, rather outdated revenue streams that are not resilient enough to withstand substantial funding flictuations (such as state appropriations).
I did and disagree with the authors thought. Paying 1 million per win does not seem very fiscally responsible. 🤷‍♂️
 

Bison13

All-American
May 26, 2013
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When Saint Francis said last year that they were going to drop from division one to division three I thought that we would see more schools do the same. I don’t think anybody has yet, but with each instance of a school like Maryland having the financial problems they are having, a re-organization is bound to happen soon.
 
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PSU Mike

All-American
Jul 28, 2001
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Does anybody ever write that there’s a free rider problem when asking people to open their purses?
 

Midnighter

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Jan 22, 2021
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Connorpozlee

All-American
Aug 29, 2013
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I for one have always been of a mindset that colleges and universities were for educating their students. Sports and other activities were later added because young folk needed physical and other activity to keep going. Today I feel like the sports programs at the college level (especially Div 1) has gotten out of control. Basically they've become pro sport farm systems. Why doesn't the NFL, NBA, etc have farm systems like MLB does?
I’ve said that about football for years. There should be some kickback going to the colleges from the NFL.
 

Bison13

All-American
May 26, 2013
3,432
5,648
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I for one have always been of a mindset that colleges and universities were for educating their students. Sports and other activities were later added because young folk needed physical and other activity to keep going. Today I feel like the sports programs at the college level (especially Div 1) has gotten out of control. Basically they've become pro sport farm systems. Why doesn't the NFL, NBA, etc have farm systems like MLB does?
Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free
 

PSUFTG

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Nov 1, 2021
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Last edited:

NewEra 2026

All-Conference
Oct 12, 2021
708
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Big Ten Revenue Distribution for 2025 Fiscal Year​

The Big Ten Conference distributed a record $1.37 billion to its 18 member institutions for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, marking the largest payout in league history CBS Sports+1. This was an increase of $490 million from the $883 million distributed in the prior fiscal year CBS Sports+1.

Average and Per-School Totals​

  • Average payout: about $76.1 million per school CBS Sports+1.
  • Ohio State led with $91.57 million after winning the 2024 CFP title CBS Sports+1.
  • Penn State received $88.92 million after reaching the CFP semifinals CBS Sports+1.
  • Indiana earned $81 million for a first-round CFP appearance Bleacher Report.
  • Other fully vested members received between roughly $76 million and $80 million CBS Sports+1.
  • Oregon and Washington (partial revenue shares until 2030) received $48.4 million and $46.7 million, respectively CBS Sports+1.

Key Drivers of the Increase​

  • First full year of the Big Ten’s new television rights agreements, generating over $1 billion annually CBS Sports+1.
  • Expanded College Football Playoff format, with four Big Ten teams (Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Oregon) participating in the 2025 CFP Yahoo Sports+1.
  • Conference’s first season as an 18‑team league after adding Oregon, UCLA, USC, and Washington in 2024 CBS Sports+1.

Comparison to Other Conferences​

  • SEC average per school: $72.4 million in 2024‑25 CBS Sports+1.
  • The Big Ten’s 2025 distribution is $340 million more than the SEC’s for the same year
 

WestSideLion

All-American
May 29, 2001
4,900
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Why is it always the losing programs that are paying the coaches too much, and the winning programs constantly renegotiate contracts? Football drives the bus and a winning program brings enough revenue to keep the ship afloat.
Imagine what would happen at PSU if they went 6-6 or 7-5 for the next three years with a $750,000 renovation bill coming due? Some coaches are talking about several 50 million dollar rosters this season in "college sports."
Everyone knows that Maryland didn't fire Locksley because they couldn't pay his buyout and add another monster contract for a new staff. It seems inevitable that big ten schools may soon have to look at some non-revenue generating sports.



Kyle Whittingham has fans shook up over strong $50 million prediction
It’s only a matter of time until B1G schools wise up and cut their D1 program counts to SEC levels.

One benchmark I saw showed SEC schools having 15-20 D1 sports while Penn State has 31.

Many of those programs aren’t high cost, but I bet that’s $10 million a year the AD could use to fund other things.
 
Jun 26, 2025
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I did and disagree with the authors thought. Paying 1 million per win does not seem very fiscally responsible. 🤷‍♂️

The winningest teams are paying roughly $1 million a win as well, so what's your point D1A is defacto Pro Football - are you saying that Prollegiate Football Coaches are overpaid? This is true, but it certainly isn't a recent development - they've been vastly over-paid for decades... all of them, not just the mediocre and bad ones.
 

Midnighter

Heisman
Jan 22, 2021
12,102
20,107
113
It’s only a matter of time until B1G schools wise up and cut their D1 program counts to SEC levels.

One benchmark I saw showed SEC schools having 15-20 D1 sports while Penn State has 31.

Many of those programs aren’t high cost, but I bet that’s $10 million a year the AD could use to fund other things.

Quite simply no good reason to pay for kids to fly to California or even Michigan for a track meet.
 

BobPSU92

Heisman
Aug 22, 2001
43,734
35,270
113
It’s only a matter of time until B1G schools wise up and cut their D1 program counts to SEC levels.

One benchmark I saw showed SEC schools having 15-20 D1 sports while Penn State has 31.

Many of those programs aren’t high cost, but I bet that’s $10 million a year the AD could use to fund other things.

This is the day of the expanding man…

😞
 
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