Honest question for the board. And I’m not just talking about with Neal Brown and his buyout. I’m talking in general for Athletics. Can anyone explain this? How are programs like Iowa State and Kansas State doing it? Winning and spending. Recruiting etc. Tonight we had Hoppy repeating this mantra of no money. Maybe Vernon can answer or any WVU affiliated administrators or boosters. I’m not trying to start an argument, I just think the fans like myself deserve an explanation. Frankly, it’s just not adding up.
Why and how does WVU not have the money?
- Thread starter ThePunish-EER
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I would fire Neal Brown.
I would look at options for dropping certain sports at WVU.
I would move forward with adding suites to the press box area.
I would pursue any outside funding I could get in terms of sponsorships and investments.
I would cut several jobs in and around the athletic department.
That's where I would start and not necessarily in that order except Neal would be first. Nothing at WVU is more important than that football program. If it dies, WVU dies on many levels. These are unprecedented times and that calls for drastic measures. Do whatever you can to fix it and fix it now.
If what I heard from Wren Baker during a pregame convo with Tony Caridi is true after he released the money appeal, he was saying that Olympic sports travel in the Big XII was very costly and wanted to have those in a more regional conference. Soccer is already in the Sun Belt Conference. If Brown is retained for next year, I fully expect that we will be downgraded to the Sun Belt by 2026.
I like your ideas. I think it’s inevitable they will need to cut sports. I agree football drives the bus. WVU needs to really look at similar programs like the ones I mentioned in Kansas State and Iowa State. For instance, many are talking about Neal Browns salary as if it’s astronomical. It’s 12th out of 16 Big12 league members. In comparison, the Kansas State coach is 1st and (I believe) a 27 million dollar buyout.
WVU's problem is coaching, period. There is no need to look at what ISU and KSU are doing. They have better coaching. That's it. But with that said, don't get too carried away with them. ISU won seven games last year, WVU won nine. They're having good seasons but WVU could as well if the coaching was there.
Yep I would go all in on football. It drives everything else. Go get a good coach and watch everything improve, even overall attendance.
WVU is in the red as a whole because of Gee. He has spent so much money on unnecessary/glitzy infrastructure when West Virginia as a state has done nothing but shrink in population.
Especially when that shrinkage has been going on since 1950 or so.
Gee wants to keep up with all his other president buddies at bigger universities. WVU was great as it was and his spending has driven us into the ground.
Yes, I do realize the athletic department has its own budget, but when the university as a whole is in debt, then it does reduce the flexibility of all departments.
Especially when that shrinkage has been going on since 1950 or so.
Gee wants to keep up with all his other president buddies at bigger universities. WVU was great as it was and his spending has driven us into the ground.
Yes, I do realize the athletic department has its own budget, but when the university as a whole is in debt, then it does reduce the flexibility of all departments.
When WV DHHR gave EGG permission to buy up as many small hospitals in West Virginia as possible under the guise of WVU Medicine, that was his main driver.
Again, cornering the market in a dying state wasn’t a great flex. I shudder to think what they spent at Wheeling Hospital alone to offset that $50M penalty WH got before being sold.
The beauty of a free market is that you pay for what you get and the market bares what you’re worth. While we don’t like the results of Neal Brown, WVU is essentially getting what he’s worth. 12th out of 16 teams of the Big 12. About where we finish each year. I agree, it’s time to fire Neal Brown and prepare to pay a top salary if we plan to compete at the top of the league. Nobody is expecting WVU to contend for the NC, we just expect to contend for the Big 12 Championship and maybe dream of playing for a NC.
Thanks Vernon. Well thought out. In the last decade. NCAA football and sports have changed as fast as one thinks it's settled for awhile.
As with anything changes have to take place to adjust. Your statement here is thought through.
For WVU for football it is about down to go all in or watch WVU sports as well at a lot of things go backwards. Thanks.
I fully expect you are wrong on WVU football, baseball, WBB, MENS BB being downgraded to the sunbelt. Only way that happens is the destruction of Big 12.
I get the Fire Neal Brown! stuff. I agree... to a certain point.
If WVU fires Brown, that leaves really 2 choices - go for a homerun hire or try to find a replacement from the lower levels (much like we did with Brown).
Let's take the latter approach. There will be initial excitement but we have to account for the fact it will take that new coach time to build his program, build relationships with HS coaches, etc. and hope for the best. Question is, how soon would the fans turn on him if he has Neal Brown type seasons at the start? Which, to be honest, is about the best one can hope for, at least at first. 3 or 4 years? Then, are we right back at where we are now - throwing good money at bad results with a fan base that has tuned out?
How about the former? A homerun hire that gets everyone excited. But, the big question, can WVU afford it? Can they keep him if he's successful and the Bama's and Michigan's come calling again? How long does he last if he doesn't have instant success and WVU is on the hook for YEARS worth of salary and is stuck basically mining the WVIAC for coaches?
I just believe that WVU has to hire a recruiting SOB. Someone who can bring in the Jimmies and Joes. Jimmy and Joe can cover up a lot of X and O failures. The one thing that can bring the fans back other than a big name coach is a bunch of big name players. Bama fans didn't tune in to watch Saban strategize on the sidelines, they tuned in to watch NFL studs pummel the opposition week after week. WVU's 30+ ranked recruiting classes just show its going to be another ho-hum year - year after year.
But, if that coach isn't available, stick with what you have until he does. WVU may suffer in the short term, but may come out ahead in the long run.
If WVU fires Brown, that leaves really 2 choices - go for a homerun hire or try to find a replacement from the lower levels (much like we did with Brown).
Let's take the latter approach. There will be initial excitement but we have to account for the fact it will take that new coach time to build his program, build relationships with HS coaches, etc. and hope for the best. Question is, how soon would the fans turn on him if he has Neal Brown type seasons at the start? Which, to be honest, is about the best one can hope for, at least at first. 3 or 4 years? Then, are we right back at where we are now - throwing good money at bad results with a fan base that has tuned out?
How about the former? A homerun hire that gets everyone excited. But, the big question, can WVU afford it? Can they keep him if he's successful and the Bama's and Michigan's come calling again? How long does he last if he doesn't have instant success and WVU is on the hook for YEARS worth of salary and is stuck basically mining the WVIAC for coaches?
I just believe that WVU has to hire a recruiting SOB. Someone who can bring in the Jimmies and Joes. Jimmy and Joe can cover up a lot of X and O failures. The one thing that can bring the fans back other than a big name coach is a bunch of big name players. Bama fans didn't tune in to watch Saban strategize on the sidelines, they tuned in to watch NFL studs pummel the opposition week after week. WVU's 30+ ranked recruiting classes just show its going to be another ho-hum year - year after year.
But, if that coach isn't available, stick with what you have until he does. WVU may suffer in the short term, but may come out ahead in the long run.
A home run hire could be anyone, I assume you mean a high profile talent in demand. I think the other option is an experienced coach who has had success in the past. Saw Tom Herman just got fired, wonder what he could do with our resources versus FAU. Not promoting him, just an example. Someone that gets us in the top 1/2 of the big 12 every year, beats sPitt regularly and every 3-4 years competes for a conference title. I can live with that if our resources aren't enough for being a top25 annually.
Jimbo would be a recruiting guy but
leaves some uncertainty as a coach. Is he still a good coach? Maybe maybe not. Mullen would be my choice as HC right now..... i don't want a coordinator or a small school guy since we lost out on getting Cignetti when it made too much sense but we were too busy screwing around, taking Brown on and off the hot seat every week and trusting his stupid, non existent climb. Dan Mullen is the guy i would go after. Proven coach who won in a much harder conference.
leaves some uncertainty as a coach. Is he still a good coach? Maybe maybe not. Mullen would be my choice as HC right now..... i don't want a coordinator or a small school guy since we lost out on getting Cignetti when it made too much sense but we were too busy screwing around, taking Brown on and off the hot seat every week and trusting his stupid, non existent climb. Dan Mullen is the guy i would go after. Proven coach who won in a much harder conference.
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If both WVU and Jimbo are interested, I think it’s a homerun on the condition WVU commits financially to compete at the top level of the Big 12. Obviously not just Jimbo’s salary, but his assistants, NIL, donations, revenue streaming etc etc etc. Some people don’t like Jimbo, but the guy won at 2 places. Texas aTm didn’t think he won enough, but he did very well there. I would be open to Jimbo. I think having a WV boy would be good again. However, we need to understand this is a business. If he succeeds and leaves, it’s just apart of the landscape.
Jimbo would be the choice. I can’t think of the last time he looked inspired. Getting a chance to coach at WVU would inspire him.
If Stimpy is still running things, we won’t get him.
That dude is a joke and Jimbo won’t work under him. Give Stimpy a job with the NIL folks and then get a real A.D.
Period.
If Stimpy is still running things, we won’t get him.
That dude is a joke and Jimbo won’t work under him. Give Stimpy a job with the NIL folks and then get a real A.D.
Period.
Jimbo would understand the importance to fans of beating Pitt. Dan Mullen would expect 5 million. Jimbo already being paid 76 million by Texas A&M would come in for 2 million or less. Rodriguez if allowed to return would also be 2 million or so until he proved he could win here again.
Jimbo Fisher wants to prove himself again and if he did would not be here very long, 5 years or less. Rodriguez also wants to prove himself again to P4 level and possibility he stay's this time. But you never know if right offer comes he would stab WVU in the back again and split.
Many others on the list that would be a gamble most likely, but aren't all of them.
Everyone has their own opinion, but I think hiring Jimbo is a no brainer. He checks all the boxes. Again, WVU would have to be fully committed to building a winning program financially. If I’m Jimbo, that would be a deal maker or deal breaker. No sense in him coming if we’re gonna make excuses we don’t have the money for the players, assistants, and facilities.
not much incentive for a mega donor to part with their money now...the money is just gone..
Initially, many of these collectives were set up as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, which allowed contributions to the collective to be tax-deductible charitable contributions. However, in June 2023, the IRS Office of Chief Counsel released a memorandum (AM 2023-004) that concluded that contributions to NIL collectives are not tax-deductible charitable gifts “because the private benefits they provide to student-athletes are not incidental both qualitatively and quantitatively to any tax-exempt purpose furthered by that activity.
This memo is a sign that the IRS will deny new applications for 501(c)(3) status from collectives and may revoke the status granted to other collectives through audits
It all comes down to whether you can adapt to change or not. We’re gonna have to have some up to date thinking to figure this out. Every school is doing the same right now. I don’t know specifics and legalities, but maybe a state like WV may need to look into something like how the Green Bay Packers are operating with residents owning a share of the football program. Again, this might be a totally stupid idea because I’m not aware of what’s permitted or not. Or some kind of state tax inclusion like how professional sports are funded. Again, might be totally stupid and not possible. Just trying to think out of the box
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Only one making those excuse is EGG. He is standing between the BOG and Wren firing Brown. Even if Wren got approval or any other AD the firing would still be slowed because a new president is the most concerned hire for the BOG. Just pray EGG doesn't make the call on who gets hired as president.
Jimbo is a smart choice and there is a claim he wants to come back and would work for a low salary because of his money From Texas A&M. But fans need to prepare themselves for Fisher's to leave quickly if he turns it around fast and head hunters from bigger schools come calling. Auburn will be looking for a new coach in about 2 more years or less.
Jimbo Fisher would be a huge hire for wvu. The Big 12 is solid and it's wide open right now with Texas and Oklahoma leaving. A good coach could make us a playoff team pretty quick by making us a team that will contend for Big 12 titles regularly. That has to be attractive for a guy like Fisher
Back Pay Terms
Plaintiffs counsel Hagens Berman provided an overview on the proposed allocations for the backpay (more detail by sport is in the next section):
Plaintiffs counsel Hagens Berman provided an overview on the proposed allocations for the backpay (more detail by sport is in the next section):
Football and men’s basketball: $135,000 on average
Women’s basketball: $35,000 on average
After all that there will be revenue sharing.
The pool of revenue that can be shared with athletes will be equal to 22% of the average revenue of the Power Five, plus Notre Dame, for specific categories of revenue.
All Division I athletes will be required to report to their school and/or a designated reporting entity (which may be created/identified by the NCAA and conferences later) all third-party NIL contracts or payments with a value of $600 or more. If the athlete receives multiple payments, or multiple agreements, with the same party (or two parties with the same ownership), those will be need to be disclosed if the aggregate value is at or above $600.
Schools will be sharing the NIL contracts/payments disclosed to them with the designated reporting entity and the Plaintiffs counsel from the House case. Schools will also be reporting all agreements they enter into with athletes for promotion of the school/athletics program and any other payments or benefits provided to an athlete or their family. Additionally, schools will need to disclose any agreements made by third parties (such as collectives) that originate from, are funded by or made on behalf of the school.
A note for schools outside of the Power Five: if you choose to provide any of the benefits of the settlement (revenue sharing, incremental scholarships), you must follow all the terms of the settlement.
Then there will be scholarship elimination of scholarship limits. All Division I athletic scholarships have been eliminated as part of the settlement, with new roster limits set. All scholarships will be equivalency awards (meaning they can all be partial).
There will be new rules on NIL money.
Potential New NCAA and Conference Rules
Section 3 of the settlement allows for the NCAA or conferences to adopt some additional rules before or in conjunction with the settlement. The exact language is that they “may adopt,” meaning these are not rules yet.- Prohibiting boosters (individually or collectively) from NIL deals unless the license/payment is for “a valid business purpose related to the promotion or endorsement of goods or services provided to the general public for profit” at rates comparable to what a non-athlete similarly situated would receive
- Capping the number of years an athlete may receive payment at four years in a five-year consecutive period (with the exception of a national force majeure event)
- Requiring athletes to continue to make progress toward a degree in order to receive benefits
- Permitting athletes the ability to seek guidance from a designated enforcement entity prior to entering an NIL agreement to determine if it is within NCAA rules
- Permitting an athlete to retain or regain eligibility if they rescind or modify (and return any compensation already received for) any NIL agreement that isn’t NCAA-compliant
