Robert Morris dropping men's and women's hockey.

[DavidNardolillo]

It is highly unlikely RMU did this to increase contributions. I've been tracking hockey revenue and expenses since 2009-10 and no public school has been able to cover their expenses with contributions, although ASU has done a great job through 2020 with contributions covering about 75% to 80% of the hockey programs annual expenses. I don't expect that to continue once their new arena opens. Other schools have seen spikes in contributions for a year or two, but they then drop back down, usually to previous levels and sometimes lower.

I have no idea what the state of their rink is, but in the FAQ section of the announcement is this answer: "The decision to discontinue the men’s and women’s ice hockey programs was made based on an analysis which included scholarships and operating costs, and the necessary investments to maintain and improve the current facility." Their annual expenses for men's and women's hockey have been among the lowest of the schools that give scholarships, so based on that answer I'm thinking that the rink needs a lot of work, more than the school is willing to invest to keep the men's and women's teams.

Sean

I think this is close to the mark. One wonders if the rink and property will be sold given those comments and its riverfront location. Also wanted to highlight that there has been previous reporting on RMUs falling enrollment issues, which necessitated a $4 to $5 million dollar cut to staff at the beginning of 2019. Not sure if these enrollment issues played a role in cutting hockey.

[LtPowers]

I think this is close to the mark. One wonders if the rink and property will be sold given those comments and its riverfront location. Also wanted to highlight that there has been previous reporting on RMUs falling enrollment issues, which necessitated a $4 to $5 million dollar cut to staff at the beginning of 2019. Not sure if these enrollment issues played a role in cutting hockey.

If there was a financial issue, wouldn't they say so? From the press release, it sounds more like they made a decision to focus more on other sports (probably basketball) because other universities to which they compare themselves don't play hockey. (Though that motivation doesn't make much sense to me: if anything, you'd think that being the only school among that group of peer institutions to offer hockey would make RMU stand out in a crowd, wouldn't you?)

I wonder what those other universities are. Considering only a handful of D-I institutions play hockey at all, if everyone followed that metric, the sport would disappear.

I could be way off base, but reading between the lines, if the university is interested in increasing diversity, I wonder if hockey's demographic makeup was being perceived as a problem.


Powers &8^]

[Sean Pickett]

I wonder what those other universities are. Considering only a handful of D-I institutions play hockey at all, if everyone followed that metric, the sport would disappear.

With the 2020 EADA reports finally released I decided to take a look to see if I could find the other similarly sized institutions it was comparing itself to. First I looked at the other 11 Horizon League schools (RMU’s main league) and I found that RMU is the outlier in that league. Only two schools, RMU and the University of Detroit Mercy are private (and with enrollment under 3,500), with the other ten ranging from 4,865 to 19,886. Furthermore, RMU is one of only two that have FCS football (Youngstown State – 8,576 enrollment – is the other). So next I filtered the schools to show just those with FCS football, of which there are 127. Of those 31 have an enrollment less than 3,500 and 24 are private. I next looked at the number of sports offered since RMU mentioned that they will still have 15 sports. RMU’s 2020 EADA shows 14 sports, including track for women and hockey for men and women. After subtracting hockey that drops to 12, but the NCAA combines cross-country with indoor and outdoor track, so adding 2 sports back for the combined women’s track RMU sponsors brings it back to 14. The RMU website also only lists 14 sports, so I have no idea what the 15th sport is. That said, of the 24 private schools, the range of sports (not counting the multiple track teams) is 23 (Holy Cross) to 12 (Charleston Southern). RMU at 14 is one of just 5 schools to offer 14 or fewer sports. For total expenses Richmond leads with total expenses of $35,922,045 and Charleston Southern is last with total expenses of $12,222,625. RMU is somewhat better in this category, as they are 13th out of 24 with expenses of $17,952,596 (which will drop by about $3 million per year with the axing of men’s and women’s hockey). By the way, two other schools have both men’s and women’s hockey, Colgate and Holy Cross, and both spend quite a bit more on sports than RMU: Colgate’s were $30,845,586 and Holy Cross’ were $33,800,312.

I also looked up the endowments of the 24 private schools and they range from the University of Richmond’s $2.5 billion to (once again) Charleston Southern’s $19.4 million. RMU reported that their endowment increased by $16 million as part of their current fundraising campaign, so it is now about $52.6 million, but that is still puts them in the bottom five. Looking at just the seven other schools with endowments under $100 million only one, Charleston Southern, offers fewer sports, however, only one, Jacksonville University, spent more on athletics in 2020 ($19,672,963) than RMU. So, it seems that RMU may have compared themselves to other private schools with enrollments under 3,500 and endowments under $100 million to determine that they were spending too much on athletics and needed to cut both hockey programs. However, of those seven other schools only one was in New York (on Staten Island), 1 in Pennsylvania and the others in North or South Carolina or Florida.

Sean

[AMC]

With the 2020 EADA reports finally released I decided to take a look to see if I could find the other similarly sized institutions it was comparing itself to. First I looked at the other 11 Horizon League schools (RMU’s main league) and I found that RMU is the outlier in that league. Only two schools, RMU and the University of Detroit Mercy are private (and with enrollment under 3,500), with the other ten ranging from 4,865 to 19,886. Furthermore, RMU is one of only two that have FCS football (Youngstown State – 8,576 enrollment – is the other).

I think the Horizon League piece is a big part of it. RMU left the NEC for the Horizon. They are going to have to spend a heck of a lot more money on basketball to keep up with the new Joneses. They are leaving a league mostly made up of similarly sized private schools for a league of bigger public schools. Some of the new conference mates really care about basketball. I wouldn't be shocked if there was some sort of "we'll admit you, but you need to up your basketball budget" type conversation. Oh, and hey, how about that, there's $3M lying over there in a sport that no one else in the new conference plays.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Oh, and hey, how about that, there's $3M lying over there in a sport that no one else in the new conference plays.

Yes, that might be true, but most of the D-I hockey conferences are hockey only organizations. So having your hockey team(s) in one conference and all your other sports in another conference is actually the norm for D-I.

[njmav1]

Yes, that might be true, but most of the D-I hockey conferences are hockey only organizations. So having your hockey team(s) in one conference and all your other sports in another conference is actually the norm for D-I.

This makes no difference. What AMC posted makes a lot of sense. While they were a decent hockey program for a while in Atlantic Hockey, it's nothing compared being a decent basketball program in the Horizon League.

[rpi82]

Colgate’s were $30,845,586 and Holy Cross’ were $33,800,312.
Sean

Wow! How do two schools with enrollments of 3,000 or less and limited athletic revenue opportunities (e.g. $80 for season tickets at the 50 yard line) justify spending more than $10K per student on inter-collegiate athletics? Both schools have a fair portion of wealthy alumni so I have to believe someone is writing massive checks.

[AMC]

Yes, that might be true, but most of the D-I hockey conferences are hockey only organizations. So having your hockey team(s) in one conference and all your other sports in another conference is actually the norm for D-I.

That’s not my point. The point is that RMU was in a basketball conference that called for one level of expenditure, but has moved to a new conference that calls for a higher level of expenditure. That money has to come from somewhere.

[LtPowers]

But RMU didn't say anything about money being an issue.

Here's an extremely concerning report from DK Pittsburgh Sports. Something fishy is going on, fishy enough that Steelers GM Kevin Colbert chose to resign from the RMU Board of Trustees.

https://dkpittsburghsports.com/2021/...ed-board-jp-dk

The decision was made, per our sources, entirely by Morgan O'Brien, the board's chairman, and Chris Howard, the school president. Those two made the call unilaterally. No prior information was disseminated, and no consensus of any kind was achieved at the time or, for that matter, since.

Powers &8^]

[AMC]

But RMU didn't say anything about money being an issue.

Here's an extremely concerning report from DK Pittsburgh Sports. Something fishy is going on, fishy enough that Steelers GM Kevin Colbert chose to resign from the RMU Board of Trustees.

https://dkpittsburghsports.com/2021/...ed-board-jp-dk

Powers &8^]

Well, if they said it was about money it would be saying one of two things:

1. We agreed to join a more expensive league and didn't realize we couldn't pay for it. OR

2. We agreed to join a more expensive league and this has been the plan for over a year, we just kept our mouths shut.

Neither reflect well.

[Sean Pickett]

I think the Horizon League piece is a big part of it. RMU left the NEC for the Horizon. They are going to have to spend a heck of a lot more money on basketball to keep up with the new Joneses. They are leaving a league mostly made up of similarly sized private schools for a league of bigger public schools. Some of the new conference mates really care about basketball. I wouldn't be shocked if there was some sort of "we'll admit you, but you need to up your basketball budget" type conversation. Oh, and hey, how about that, there's $3M lying over there in a sport that no one else in the new conference plays.

This makes no difference. What AMC posted makes a lot of sense. While they were a decent hockey program for a while in Atlantic Hockey, it's nothing compared being a decent basketball program in the Horizon League.

That’s not my point. The point is that RMU was in a basketball conference that called for one level of expenditure, but has moved to a new conference that calls for a higher level of expenditure. That money has to come from somewhere.

I was unaware that RMU had just joined the Horizon League. This information certainly helps clarify why the school built the new $50 million basketball arena. I checked the 2020 EADAs of all 12 Horizon League schools and RMU's basketball expenses are not out of line with the other schools. The men's team expenses are $2,220,578, which is 8th out of 12 teams and just below the $2,322,108 average; the women's team expenses are $1,481,808, which is 3rd out of 12 teams and above the $1,387,903 average. So, there doesn't appear to be a case of needing to spend more on basketball to match the other Horizon League schools. However, as RMU would have been 2nd in men's expenses in the NEC it is possible that they want to increase expenses to see if that allows them to better compete in the Horizon League.

Sean

[Sean Pickett]

Well, if they said it was about money it would be saying one of two things:

1. We agreed to join a more expensive league and didn't realize we couldn't pay for it. OR

2. We agreed to join a more expensive league and this has been the plan for over a year, we just kept our mouths shut.

Neither reflect well.

A few more 2020 EADA facts:
Current NEC schools total expenses ranged from $27,797,973 to $8,804,570 (RMU would have been 5th) with an average of $17,753,419. Sport teams sponsored ranged from 28 to 12 (RMU was second lowest at 14), with the median 18. Current Horizon League schools total expenses ranged from from RMU's $17,753,419 to $9,424,557 with an average of $13,635,343. Sport teams sponsored ranged from 17 to 11, with the median 14.

So, RMU actually moved from a league that sponsors more sports (20 by financial count, 24 by sport count) and was more costly overall to a league that sponsors fewer sports (15 by financial count, 19 by sport count) and is less costly overall, but focuses more on men's basketball. The move also made RMU have to find leagues for affiliate membership for football and men's and women's lacrosse.

Sean

[AMC]

A few more 2020 EADA facts:
Current NEC schools total expenses ranged from $27,797,973 to $8,804,570 (RMU would have been 5th) with an average of $17,753,419. Sport teams sponsored ranged from 28 to 12 (RMU was second lowest at 14), with the median 18. Current Horizon League schools total expenses ranged from from RMU's $17,753,419 to $9,424,557 with an average of $13,635,343. Sport teams sponsored ranged from 17 to 11, with the median 14.

So, RMU actually moved from a league that sponsors more sports (20 by financial count, 24 by sport count) and was more costly overall to a league that sponsors fewer sports (15 by financial count, 19 by sport count) and is less costly overall, but focuses more on men's basketball. The move also made RMU have to find leagues for affiliate membership for football and men's and women's lacrosse.

Sean

Yeah, the Horizon is (Youngstown State football aside) pretty much a basketball only conference. I imagine RMU is going to have to spend more on hoops to compete.

[Sean Pickett]

This was posted in the women's forum:

https://triblive.com/sports/how-stee...-want-to-help/

I watched the prepared statement the president gave... says 5 to 30 million in capital needed (some people heard 13) and then later referenced a 10 to 25 million operations budget endowment need.

It appears the rink needs a lot of work and RMU doesn't have the money, especially after building a new $50 million basketball arena. I guess RMU decided to follow the same path as fellow Horizon League member UIC.

Sean

[Sean Pickett]

RMU president Howard doubled down on dropping hockey, blaming it on lack of revenue, among other reasons. One report quoted him calling hockey the school’s “most expensive D-I sport,” and blaming $1 million in expenditures (total for both teams) per season, the location and needs for upgrades at the Island Sports Center, limited ticket sales and donations and an inability to offset those costs through conference payouts and television revenues. Another report quoted him stating “Ice hockey has been our most expensive D-I sport, in part due to the low ticket sales and limited donations, as well as having no access to things like guaranteed game opportunities, conference revenue or television contract payout,” and “Hockey’s direct expenses alone are already more than $1 million annually. That’s a margin, that’s the bottom line we end up paying out.” Of course, if the school had put ice making equipment in the new UPMC events Center then they could have had a state of the art arena on campus, but...

As for the cost of running the programs, on RMU's 2020 EADA report they reported total expenses for men's hockey at $1,448,957; women's hockey at $1,346,001; men's basketball at $2,220,578; women's basketball at $1,481,808; and football at $3,181,022. For operating expenses RMU reported men's hockey at $208,103; women's hockey at $174,893; men's basketball at $384,495; women's basketball at $238,685; and football at $179,179. So, I'm not sure what he used to come up with the combined $1 million number.

As for the low ticket sales, again, if they had been able to play at the UPMC Events Center it likely would have raised ticket revenue and quite possibly donations. As for guaranteed game opportunities, again I'm not sure, but I think he is referring to guarantees to play at other schools. Of course hockey does have some, but it is much less than for football and basketball and the same goes for conference revenue and television contracts. It seems he is just using those as excuses to cover his butt.

By the way, I've requested the 2020 NCAA reports from the 10 public Horizon League schools to see how much, if anything, the schools are getting in the way of ticket sales, donations, guaranteed game opportunities, conference revenue and television contract payouts. So fat IW-Milwaukee has already replied and I found a 2019 report for IUPUI online. Neither reported any media payouts and IWM reported just $15,000 for conference payouts for basketball while UIPUI reported $0, although both reported overall conference payouts of $109,157 (IWM) and $96,693 (IUPUI).

In the end it appears to come back to the current ice rink needing a lot of work and the school's refusal to put ice making equipment into the UPMC Events Center. Hell, one of the reports I linked to mentions the school re-adding men's track and field to stay at the NCAA required minimum number of sports, so it appears that this was planned and is not as sudden as it originally seemed.

Sean