Jim Phillips did a lot of good things for NU. Let's all hope one of them is giving NU an out of Collins reported contract paying him $3 million plus a year for the next three seasons after this one.
I fully believe Phillips thought that Collins would be winning consistently in his $110 million new stadium and $10 million (est.) hoops / volleyball practice facility and convinced himself it was all going to pay for itself with PSL and a rocking Wilson Club with fans.
I can't imaging the money the program is losing right now. I can tell you (because I attend all these games in the Wilson Club) that it is maybe, maybe 50% sold. Certainly its usage rate is not more than 50%.
When I look out, I see the same across the rest of the stadium. I would guess that PSLs are paid on maybe 50 of the seats in the stadium but that has to be dropping annually.
Since NU is already hemorrhaging money on Fitz' practice facility, the overall effect on the operating budget for the athletic department can't be good. Add in the upcoming steep decline in football seasons ticket sales and this has to be coming a real issue. Honestly, do not be surprised if NU loses a program for budgetary reasons in the coming years.
Morty and Phillips were amazing for NU sports. They gave us a period of years where it all seemed headed in the right direction for NU to compete annually but ultimately, the same things that money can't fix - small fanbase and limited recruiting base (totally self inflicted wound here) - are now going to threaten to kill NU sports financially.
I keep harkening back to one thing - NU Is first and foremost one of the top academic universities in the world. Years ago, NU proposed a new student center. The model was up in basement of Norris for the $200 million plus facility. IT HAS NEVER BEEN BUILT. Instead, under the leadership of Morty, they built Welsh-Ryan and the practice facility and Pat Ryan gave the lead gift on a new football stadium. I am convinced that Morty and Phillips thought all of the new toys would pay for themselves but they never realized one basic fact - the margin between winning and losing is really small - like having your incredible football defensive coordinator retire thin or recruiting Miller Kopp over Saddiq Bey.
I will admit that I am really down on NU revenue sports right now. I am also careful to limit my comments to football and basketball because that is where the money is being spent and not getting results. Sadly, I know the fix and everyone else who watches knows the fix as well. It is so easy and would cost the university a few million dollars and at the same time would pay for itself over and over again.
Here it is: create an academic program tailored to athletes and lower admissions to the standards of Duke.
In this scenario, I would also retain Collins because I actually do believe that Collins is going to be successful in his next job because he is a really good recruiter so the money is already there in the form of the money saved from not buying out Collins.
I fully believe Phillips thought that Collins would be winning consistently in his $110 million new stadium and $10 million (est.) hoops / volleyball practice facility and convinced himself it was all going to pay for itself with PSL and a rocking Wilson Club with fans.
I can't imaging the money the program is losing right now. I can tell you (because I attend all these games in the Wilson Club) that it is maybe, maybe 50% sold. Certainly its usage rate is not more than 50%.
When I look out, I see the same across the rest of the stadium. I would guess that PSLs are paid on maybe 50 of the seats in the stadium but that has to be dropping annually.
Since NU is already hemorrhaging money on Fitz' practice facility, the overall effect on the operating budget for the athletic department can't be good. Add in the upcoming steep decline in football seasons ticket sales and this has to be coming a real issue. Honestly, do not be surprised if NU loses a program for budgetary reasons in the coming years.
Morty and Phillips were amazing for NU sports. They gave us a period of years where it all seemed headed in the right direction for NU to compete annually but ultimately, the same things that money can't fix - small fanbase and limited recruiting base (totally self inflicted wound here) - are now going to threaten to kill NU sports financially.
I keep harkening back to one thing - NU Is first and foremost one of the top academic universities in the world. Years ago, NU proposed a new student center. The model was up in basement of Norris for the $200 million plus facility. IT HAS NEVER BEEN BUILT. Instead, under the leadership of Morty, they built Welsh-Ryan and the practice facility and Pat Ryan gave the lead gift on a new football stadium. I am convinced that Morty and Phillips thought all of the new toys would pay for themselves but they never realized one basic fact - the margin between winning and losing is really small - like having your incredible football defensive coordinator retire thin or recruiting Miller Kopp over Saddiq Bey.
I will admit that I am really down on NU revenue sports right now. I am also careful to limit my comments to football and basketball because that is where the money is being spent and not getting results. Sadly, I know the fix and everyone else who watches knows the fix as well. It is so easy and would cost the university a few million dollars and at the same time would pay for itself over and over again.
Here it is: create an academic program tailored to athletes and lower admissions to the standards of Duke.
In this scenario, I would also retain Collins because I actually do believe that Collins is going to be successful in his next job because he is a really good recruiter so the money is already there in the form of the money saved from not buying out Collins.
