Tale of Two Programs

As discussed here earlier UConn was in talks with Notre Dame for a seven game series in whick none of the games will be true home games for the Huskies. There would be four in South Bend and three played in large stadiums in the New England/New York metro areas.

"The agreement reached between UConn and the lawmakers would run from 2011-2017, putting three games at Notre Dame stadium, and three at sites in either Boston, New York or New Jersey. It also requires UConn to play at least six other home games during those seasons at Rentschler Field,..."
Deal reached in UConn football controversy

The requirement for six home games was inserted into the deal by the state legislature because as we all know all elected officials are top notch AD material. This is a big gamble for the young program but one that if successful will put them on the map in college football.

Rutgers and their recent success (note the high profile of the 2006 Louisville game) in a separate but probably related announcement broke off talks with the Golden Domers as they respectfully declined to cede there home field for the chance the play the gods of gridiron. Had Notre Dame been able to pull off both these deals they may have had the framework for the humorously proposedIrish Bowl in New York. The question for the Scarlet Knights is, "Can we generate as much attention for out program without Notre Dame?"

Thursday night ESPN games on September 11 against an improving North Carolina team and December 4 against a questionable Louisville squad are this years chances to shine at home in North Jersey.

Which campus will fear the visit the Ghost of Scheduling Past?

A Monetary Thing

"Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon, in the sense that it cannot occur without a more rapid increase in the quantity of money than in output." Milton Friedman

Inflation is easily defined as too much money chasing too few goods. In the world of big time college football the scares good is a combination of a home game and and the just as important a win. Given this and the reduction is the stigma of playing down a division the price for a D-1AA opponent has gone up dramatically over the past few years. Recent announcement by West Virginia University and Florida State are interesting in that the price they are paying is more than the going rate for a guaranteed win against a D1 school in recent memory.

Consider this from 2006:
NMSU (New Mexico)was to receive about $300,000 for the OSU (Oregon) game. Its reported guarantee at Auburn is nearly three times that amount. Also see John Auburn Strikes Again

FSU will open the 2009 season against the Bears of the University of Maine and pay them $450,000 according to the Bangor Daily News And the same weekend WVU will open with Liberty University at a price of $365,000 (Mountaineers add Liberty to their 2009 football slate)

If we assume that the college football world no longer looks at the D-1AA with disdain might we see a fall in the price in the D1 body bag game. As we learned in Econ 101, if you were not sleeping that is, that while increased demand will cause prices to rise initially as more supply is brought to market, attracted by the higher price and consumers make substitution prices will fall.

In the case of college football the prices will fall not back to previous levels but you will not see Auburn paying $900,000 for a visist form NMSU.

Not Good At Math But...

Consider these quote from Hawaii earns $4.4 million for Sugar
1. "The University of Hawaii will receive nearly $4.4 million for playing in the Sugar Bowl..."
2. "Georgia, which beat Hawaii, 41-10, will earn $17 million for the Southeastern Conference..."

So Hawaii get $4.4 million of what pie? Where did that number come from? Shouldn't this article explain the difference? Is it that the average reader does not really care or is the journalist too lazy to bother?

It is well known that Notre Dame gets $4.5 million from the BCS each year that they share with no one. Less controversial and less well known is the money given the the "non-BCS" conferences. After some digging and futile time at BCSfootball.org a 2006 article shed some light on the situation.

According to USA Today, "The non-guaranteed leagues (Conference USA, WAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt, Mid-American) receive 9% of the projected BCS net revenue, or about $9 million on an annual basis, according to the BCS. That increases by another 9% when a team from one of those leagues is in a BCS game.

The leagues then negotiate a split, with the biggest share going to the participating conference."

Next question: Do Army and Navy get any BCS money?

D-I-V-O-R-C-E

The Rich Rodriguez v. WVU war of words continue with the story about the racial slur against Calvin Magee now taking center stage as the mystery man stepping forward and in a sworn statement Larry Aschebrook now refutes the story.

Put $4 million on the table and men's morals are put to the test. Add a lawyer and the morals are put out the door all together. There is no reason for this beyond the attempts of the Rich Rodriguez camp to bully there way out of promises made. The court will decide if the liquidation of damages is so high as to be punitive so the scorched earth policy just looks petty.

http://dailymail.com/static/AschebrookAff.pdf

Former WVU employee denies making remark

The Slime Bowl Is A Better Name

Navy...good!
Army...good!
Air Force...good!

Lower level ACC or C-USA team...alright.

Washington in late December...Not as bad as late July but not good.

Congress(ional Bowl)...just down right ugly. Proof below.

"Navy has become an attractive postseason candidate because we have shown time and time again that we sell tickets and bring fans," Gladchuk said. "Whichever bowl gets Navy, gets the commitment of an entire institution and the support of a widespread fan base."

Navy is invited to bowl game because theey sell tickets and they get TV ratings. As stated here before the bowl game is not about your team it is about getting people into town during the slow December travel season to spend MONEY.

That said with Paul Johnson leaving Annapolis the string of winning season may be coming to an end and it is not clear that the other two service academies have the same following. The other partner the ACC/C-USA may end up sending a Wake Forest or SMU that may not sell the needed tickets needed for a respectable payout. The Congressional Bowl may find itself going the way of the Garden State or the Cherry Bowl.