Pandemic and budget strain: Will any schools drop hockey?

[4four4]

With additional strain on school budgets caused by the pandemic, are any hockey programs in danger of being cut?

What do you see happening? What will the sport look like when it’s up and running again?

The opposite has happened. We have seen two new D1 hockey schools and one who have kept their program a float. Amazing.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

The opposite has happened. We have seen two new D1 hockey schools and one who have kept their program a float. Amazing.

It actually is quite a feat.

Would still be amazed if it all worked out for the UA_ schools, but for now it’s alright.

[Split-N]

The opposite has happened. We have seen two new D1 hockey schools and one who have kept their program a float. Amazing.

...and neither of the two new D1 hockey schools includes "Illinois" as part of its name.

[Bonin21]

UA* are all on life support still.

[manurespreader]

UA* are all on life support still.

As are some other schools. Enrollment was down every year for the last several years in many schools.. The status quo is not sustainable as things are.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

MAC cancels football.

My list of non-UA* schools most likely to drop hockey consists of UConn, BGSU (Id say MAC schools in general, but I have a feeling Miami and WMU aren’t in too grave of a situation) and a handful of GLIAC schools.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

MAC cancels football.

My list of non-UA* schools most likely to drop hockey consists of UConn, BGSU (Id say MAC schools in general, but I have a feeling Miami and WMU aren’t in too grave of a situation) and a handful of GLIAC schools.

Rumor out of Oxford is the NCHC costs are killing Miami. If BG is on your list, Miami should be as well. Agree Western is in the best shape of the three MAC schools.

[pdt1081]

MAC cancels football.

My list of non-UA* schools most likely to drop hockey consists of UConn, BGSU (Id say MAC schools in general, but I have a feeling Miami and WMU aren’t in too grave of a situation) and a handful of GLIAC schools.

The MAC relies on non-conference payday games to help offset the costs of football. They were left with 5 payday games in the entire conference after the other conferences eliminated non-conference games.

Even with $2.5 million in payday games, BGSU football still operates on the red. BG Hockey isn't going anywhere until football is long gone.

[geneseo]

As are some other schools. Enrollment was down every year for the last several years in many schools.. The status quo is not sustainable as things are.

The number of high school graduates (especially in certain parts of the country) will likely continue to drop for at least the next few years. Schools just aren't able to fill beds, and many even wealthy campuses are being forced to dip deeper into their endowments to maintain their quality and stay afloat. And then you take the impact of Covid on top of what was already happening re enrollment.

[Sean Pickett]

The MAC relies on non-conference payday games to help offset the costs of football. They were left with 5 payday games in the entire conference after the other conferences eliminated non-conference games.

Even with $2.5 million in payday games, BGSU football still operates on the red. BG Hockey isn't going anywhere until football is long gone.

For 2018-19 BGSU only received $1.8 million in football guarantees, while the program lost nearly $4.5 million. However, it also brought in the most ticket revenue by far, $1.4 million, the majority of the $2 million in ticket sales overall. Since football is considered by most schools as the flagship sport it is much more likely that hockey would be cut before football.

Sean

[Sean Pickett]

Rumor out of Oxford is the NCHC costs are killing Miami. If BG is on your list, Miami should be as well. Agree Western is in the best shape of the three MAC schools.

Miami has actually done pretty well managing costs since joining the NCHC. For their last four seasons in the CCHA (2009-13) they averaged expenses of $2.4 million, with a low of $2.17 million and a high of 2.85 million. For the first five seasons in the NCHC (2013-18) they average expenses of $2.65 million, with a low of $2.4 million and a high of $2.94 million. I haven't requested the 2019 NCAA financial report from them yet, so I don't have those numbers.

Sean

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Miami has actually done pretty well managing costs since joining the NCHC. For their last four seasons in the CCHA (2009-13) they averaged expenses of $2.4 million, with a low of $2.17 million and a high of 2.85 million. For the first five seasons in the NCHC (2013-18) they average expenses of $2.65 million, with a low of $2.4 million and a high of $2.94 million. I haven't requested the 2019 NCAA financial report from them yet, so I don't have those numbers.

Sean

The rumors I was referring to came from the Miami message board over a debate in moving to the CCHA. One of the posters referenced a direct conversation he’d had with members of the athletic dept who said the NCHC costs were much higher than initially planned, increasing, and unsustainable over the long term. My post here wasn’t math related at all.

[pdt1081]

For 2018-19 BGSU only received $1.8 million in football guarantees, while the program lost nearly $4.5 million. However, it also brought in the most ticket revenue by far, $1.4 million, the majority of the $2 million in ticket sales overall. Since football is considered by most schools as the flagship sport it is much more likely that hockey would be cut before football.

Sean

There's a difference between tickets sold and actual attendance. BG has been selling tickets to local businesses, that generally go unused, in order to maintain the minimum attendance to remain D1 FBS status. Looks good on paper, but the support from the community just isn't there.

I look for more and more P5 schools to start looking away from football. They know they are on the outside looking in at profits. 1500 people watching a Tuesday night football game on ESPN isn't exactly "exposure" for the school. Schools are starting to realize making March Madness is greater exposure in one game than an entire football season played on weeknights on ESPN.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Football is considered by most schools as the flagship sport it is much more likely that hockey would be cut before football.

Just "cut" the football program like they did with Falcons baseball and sucker the alumni into paying to support the program. Problem solved. Alumni cover the costs and the school keeps its prime revenue source.

[Split-N]

William and Mary (endowment $936 million) just cut seven varsity sports to help make ends meet. FCS football wasn't one of them.