UAB's future?

[X-band '01]

Talk has started to heat up as far as the future of UAB's football program - apparently a study is now underway to determine whether or not their program would be shut down. Whether it's their financial viability or the University of Alabama's own insecurity is up for debate.

But if they do drop football, where would they go? They can't be involved in C-USA without football, and there's zero chance that the Big East or AAC takes them into their conference. Even as much of a geographic outlier as they would be, would they go to the A-10 where the closest teams would be Saint Louis, Dayton and now Davidson?

[Muskie]

I loved using UAB in NCAA Football (back when it was allowed to be made). No idea where they could end up? If the situation is dire, I suppose they could move to the Sun Belt or maybe CAA?

[GoMuskies]

The University of Alabama and its trustees have royally screwed their Birmingham campus on the football side.

[X-band '01]

I loved using UAB in NCAA Football (back when it was allowed to be made). No idea where they could end up? If the situation is dire, I suppose they could move to the Sun Belt or maybe CAA?

Something tells me this was when Roddy White was their star receiver.

But it's possible you may have alluded to another answer - once the Big 5 conferences are allowed to pay stipends and full cost-of-attendance scholarships, UAB is going to have an even harder time on the recruiting trail. Still, I would be shocked and disappointed if they drop football, especially in a part of the country where football is religion at all levels.

[Masterofreality]

I would suggest that SucKS, UMess and UCon follow UAB's lead.

Lots of money spent for zero return.

[xubrew]

I would suggest that SucKS, UMess and UCon follow UAB's lead.

Lots of money spent for zero return.

Following UAB's lead on anything probably isn't the best advice.

[GoMuskies]

Following UAB's lead on anything probably isn't the best advice.

Yeah, I've heard they've made some terrible hiring decisions in the athletics department.

[xubrew]

Yeah, I've heard they've made some terrible hiring decisions in the athletics department.

Touche'

[throwbackmuskie]

Big South or SoCon could be a spot for them to go. I think some other schools need to look into this as well...

[Masterofreality]

Following UAB's lead on anything probably isn't the best advice.


Yeah, I've heard they've made some terrible hiring decisions in the athletics department.

Even more reason for SucKS to follow their lead. :-)

[X-band '01]

It's now official in that football is out at UAB.

Another problem lies in that they are currently down to 5 men's sports - they have to have 6 (with a minimum of 8 women's programs) just to be eligible for Division I programs.

[bleedXblue]

I'd love to see an honest (I know that's not possible) study around D1 football programs outside of the top 20-30 nationally.

Are they really making money? Is the "exposure" really attracting students to attend the university?

My guess is that if you have 70 kids on full scholarship= $2 million
Coaches/trainers= $2 million
Expenses......facility upkeep, travel, food stipends, uniforms, practice gear etc. $3 million

I'm sure I'm missing some additional costs.....

So, you have expenses in the 7-10 million range

What's UC average for attendance this year? Maybe 25K per game? Average ticket prices...$15 = $375,000 per game x 6 games= $2.25 million

How much revenue from TV and bowl games????

I don't see the numbers adding up

Concessions? I think this is probably a break even when all said and done

[ammtd34]

What's UC average for attendance this year? Maybe 25K per game?



Nice estimate. 26,626.

[xubrew]

UAB was sabotaged. As ridiculous as it may seem, it was a real life Rachel Phelps (footnote Major League) scenario.

Long story short, the Board of Trustees oversees three campuses in Tuscaloosa (this is the Alabama Crimson Tide), UAB, and UAH. It's not unusual for a board to not want it's branch campuses to have big time athletics. All of Auburn's branch campuses compete at the div2 or NAIA level. Tennessee has Knoxville, Chattanooga and Martin and all have football, but only one is at the FBS level. So, anyway, when UAB started athletics, some on the board were against it. Then, they didn't want UAB to be div1, but they transitioned up anyway. Then, they didn't want UAB to have football, but they rammed that through. Then, they didn't want UAB to be at the FBS level (or 1A at the time), but they rammed that through. So, naturally some on the board were annoyed. What really set it over the edge was when UAB turned in Alabama for recruiting violations back in the 1990s. Some on the board went from being annoyed to being SUPER annoyed, and there has been tension between UAB and certain members of the board ever since.

UAB's football program did lose money. But, they had actually raised enough money through boosters to run the program in the future without needing any state funds. They tried to build an on campus stadium two years ago, and had 75% of it paid for, and that was shut down. They tried to make coaching hires that made sense, most notably Jimbo Fischer back in 2006, and were prevented from doing it and forced to hire less qualified candidates.

The attendances almost tripled, the team became bowl eligible, they had 20 starters returning, and several transfer players who were going to be eligible, the GPA and APR were the best in school history. The city of Birmingham was planning on building a stadium since the Board of Trustees would not. And....the Board of Trustees shut it down. It's horribly ironic, but the success the team had this year seemingly caused the board to act faster to get it shut down before it was too late. Now, they've dropped below div1 status (although there are plans to add an additional men's team), they lose their conference affiliation, they lose their TV deal, they have to pay close to $4 million dollars in buyouts of previously scheduled football games, and no one knows for sure what conference they'll end up in. If any. You don't shut down an improving football program that is becoming self sustaining in the South. You just don't. Unless it was done maliciously.

http://youretears.com/im/2014/12/03/im_2014-12-03_b2.pdf

[Juice]

UAB was sabotaged. As ridiculous as it may seem, it was a real life Rachel Phelps (footnote Major League) scenario.

Long story short, the Board of Trustees oversees three campuses in Tuscaloosa (this is the Alabama Crimson Tide), UAB, and UAH. It's not unusual for a board to not want it's branch campuses to have big time athletics. All of Auburn's branch campuses compete at the div2 or NAIA level. Tennessee has Knoxville, Chattanooga and Martin and all have football, but only one is at the FBS level. So, anyway, when UAB started athletics, some on the board were against it. Then, they didn't want UAB to be div1, but they transitioned up anyway. Then, they didn't want UAB to have football, but they rammed that through. Then, they didn't want UAB to be at the FBS level (or 1A at the time), but they rammed that through. So, naturally some on the board were annoyed. What really set it over the edge was when UAB turned in Alabama for recruiting violations back in the 1990s. Some on the board went from being annoyed to being SUPER annoyed, and there has been tension between UAB and certain members of the board ever since.

UAB's football program did lose money. But, they had actually raised enough money through boosters to run the program in the future without needing any state funds. They tried to build an on campus stadium two years ago, and had 75% of it paid for, and that was shut down. They tried to make coaching hires that made sense, most notably Jimbo Fischer back in 2006, and were prevented from doing it and forced to hire less qualified candidates.

The attendances almost tripled, the team became bowl eligible, they had 20 starters returning, and several transfer players who were going to be eligible, the GPA and APR were the best in school history. The city of Birmingham was planning on building a stadium since the Board of Trustees would not. And....the Board of Trustees shut it down. It's horribly ironic, but the success the team had this year seemingly caused the board to act faster to get it shut down before it was too late. Now, they've dropped below div1 status (although there are plans to add an additional men's team), they lose their conference affiliation, they lose their TV deal, they have to pay close to $4 million dollars in buyouts of previously scheduled football games, and no one knows for sure what conference they'll end up in. If any. You don't shut down an improving football program that is becoming self sustaining in the South. You just don't. Unless it was done maliciously.

http://youretears.com/im/2014/12/03/im_2014-12-03_b2.pdf

Not to mention that Birmingham has one of the best TV markets for college football. Granted these numbers are a few years old but it shows how much the people of that city love college football http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2012/08/college-footballs-top-25-highest-rated-markets-birmingham-oklahoma-city-columbus-top-three-in-2011/