The Athletic: Rutgers Infrastructure is Way behind

[rutgersal]

If there is one legitimate criticism in the Athletic article, it is this. According to Jim Delaney,

“Maryland has won a football championship and a basketball championship and Rutgers is way behind. But Rutgers has shown that indication … You can’t make up in five years or 10 years for lack of investment, infrastructure-wise. I think they’re gonna be OK, but not in a five- or 10-year window.”

He is basically saying our facilities are not up to par here. Which isn’t a secret as Rutgers commissioned a study saying the same. It was posted on scarletknights.com at one point.

When you go to Ohio State and Michigan, you realize we are way behind in facilities.

Can’t really fault him, for thinking this way, because football has been mostly dreadful, since we joined in 2014. But thanks to Greg Schiano’s extraordinary recruiting efforts, and despite a non-competitive infrastructure, we are recruiting competitively for football. That’s the result of a lot of hard work and dedication.

Which is why I keep saying no one else could do the Rutgers job as effectively as Greg Schiano. Florida has become integral to our recruiting efforts, and North Carolina has, as well. No other Coach could recruit as effectively.

The incoming ‘24 Class could be the best in our history. Now the RAC needs to be renovated and the Football Fieldhouse needs to be built.

And Rutgers will start a fundraising campaign this fall, according to Hobbs on a podcast. So it will soon be time for fans to step up. We’ll probably need $100M to get started.

Lots of people spend lots of time on this website and hopefully a good portion step up and contribute what they can, so we have good things to talk about in upcoming years. And we can put the talk about football not having adequate facilities to rest.

 

[yessir321]

Have you at least been drinking?

 

[czxqa]

Al, you're off by a zero. $100,000,000 ÷ 2,000 fans = $50,000 per donor.

 

[Scarlet16E]

Not worried abt this. we have been building facilities like crazy, and the RAC reno and FB facility will get done.

Of course our detractors rail about the debt. But that is dumb argument as we have huge projected revenues going forward. We can easily handle the capital debt incurred building facilities.

 

[Shelby65]

That’s why our fate in this conference is sealed. We won’t ever catch up. eventually we will have the facilities the winners have today, but their facilities are being improved too, with more money to spend and at a faster rate.

Drive 60 mph. How long will it take pass a car going 70 mph that’s already 10 miles ahead ? Sure, you’ll travel 10 more miles but by then that other car is now 12 miles ahead.

 

[RUScrew85]

If there is one legitimate criticism in the Athletic article, it is this. According to Jim Delaney,

“Maryland has won a football championship and a basketball championship and Rutgers is way behind. But Rutgers has shown that indication … You can’t make up in five years or 10 years for lack of investment, infrastructure-wise. I think they’re gonna be OK, but not in a five- or 10-year window.”

He is basically saying our facilities are not up to par here. Which isn’t a secret as Rutgers commissioned a study saying the same. It was posted on scarletknights.com at one point.

When you go to Ohio State and Michigan, you realize we are way behind in facilities.

Can’t really fault him, for thinking this way, because football has been mostly dreadful, since we joined in 2014. But thanks to Greg Schiano’s extraordinary recruiting efforts, and despite a non-competitive infrastructure, we are recruiting competitively for football. That’s the result of a lot of hard work and dedication.

Which is why I keep saying no one else could do the Rutgers job as effectively as Greg Schiano. Florida has become integral to our recruiting efforts, and North Carolina has, as well. No other Coach could recruit as effectively.

The incoming ‘24 Class could be the best in our history. Now the RAC needs to be renovated and the Football Fieldhouse needs to be built.

And Rutgers will start a fundraising campaign this fall, according to Hobbs on a podcast. So it will soon be time for fans to step up. We’ll probably need $100M to get started. So on average, that’s 2,000 fans donating $5K, or 1,000 fans donating 10K. Lots of people spend lots of time on this website and hopefully a good portion step up and contribute what they can, so we have good things to talk about in upcoming years. And we can talk about football not having adequate facilities to rest.

So we're back to donating to infrastructure? Because I seem to remember Greg saying NIL money was more important recently.

 

[rutgersal]

Al, you're off by a zero. $100,000,000 ÷ 2,000 fans = $50,000 per donor.

Thx, probably should be 5,000 people giving 20,000, which is probably more realistic.

 

[e5fdny]

That’s why our fate in this conference is sealed. We won’t ever catch up. eventually we will have the facilities the winners have today, but their facilities are being improved too, with more money to spend and at a faster rate.

Drive 60 mph. How long will it take pass a car going 70 mph that’s already 10 miles ahead ? Sure, you’ll travel 10 more miles but by then that other car is now 12 miles ahead.

Well, if you eventually get to the destination (NYD 6 for Football and Final 4 for MBB) it still works.

 

[rutgersal]

So we're back to donating to infrastructure? Because I seem to remember Greg saying NIL money was more important recently.

We raised roughly $1.5 M last year from what I can remember for NIL for all sports.

We’ll probably be a small player, with regards to NIL and the majority of kids we recruit will be Non NIL.

Which is why it’s important to have good facilities so that we can better compete with other schools who aren’t big NIL players.

 

[Ridge 22]

This can't all be the fans problem to support. Take your pick. NIL or facilities. Rutgers has more media money coming in than most programs. Figure it out.

 

[NickRU714]

This can't all be the fans problem to support. Take your pick. NIL or facilities. Rutgers has more media money coming in than most programs. Figure it out.

College athletics has always made it the fans fault.
Even when we receive a full conference reveneue share we'll still be operating with tens of millions less per year because of direct AD donations.

The only solution and actual way to level the playing field is force teams to operate on just their conference revenue. Remove all donor money from AD coffers. Then a team like Rutgers can excel through better financial management than our peers (for example dont allow Nebraska to just spend their way out of a bad hire in HC Frost).

Then it's an even field (within a conference - still a massive uneven playing field between conferences).

 

[Ridge 22]

College athletics has always made it the fans fault.
Even when we receive a full conference reveneue share we'll still be operating with tens of millions less per year because of direct AD donations.

The only solution and actual way to level the playing field is force teams to operate on just their conference revenue. Remove all donor money from AD coffers. Then a team like Rutgers can excel through better financial management than our peers (for example dont allow Nebraska to just spend their way out of a bad hire in HC Frost).

Then it's an even field (within a conference - still a massive uneven playing field between conferences).

We are receiving a full share already. Biggest and most repeated misconception on these boards.

 

[NickRU714]

We are receiving a full share already. Biggest and most repeated misconception on these boards.

Correct.
I meant absent of loan payoff (a common excuse many use).

 

[newell138]

Thx, probably should be 5,000 people giving 20,000, which is probably more realistic.

is that realistic?

 

[rutgersal]

This can't all be the fans problem to support. Take your pick. NIL or facilities. Rutgers has more media money coming in than most programs. Figure it out.

Football NIL support is much less than what’s needed to be a serious player, so hopefully people will better support the new facility.

Everybody has to have skin in the game. The state kicked in $50M. Rutgers will probably bond $200M. Fans will have to kick some too, ideally $100M.

 

[e5fdny]

This can't all be the fans problem to support. Take your pick. NIL or facilities. Rutgers has more media money coming in than most programs. Figure it out.

College athletics has always made it the fans fault.
Even when we receive a full conference reveneue share we'll still be operating with tens of millions less per year because of direct AD donations.

The only solution and actual way to level the playing field is force teams to operate on just their conference revenue. Remove all donor money from AD coffers. Then a team like Rutgers can excel through better financial management than our peers (for example dont allow Nebraska to just spend their way out of a bad hire in HC Frost).

Then it's an even field (within a conference - still a massive uneven playing field between conferences).

Make it like NASCAR where we all get the same vehicle and what you do with it afterwards is up to you.

 

[RUDiddy777]

Football NIL support is much less than what’s needed to be a serious player, so hopefully people will better support the new facility.

Everybody has to have skin in the game. The state kicked in $50M. Rutgers will probably bond $200M. Fans will have to kick some too, ideally $100M.

Need to be competitive to really get that NIL money. Once we get there, things will get better quickly. The product has been crap for a decade - it’s getting better - but I can’t imagine the big wigs are keen on throwing millions towards a bottom of the B1G finish.

 

[rutgersal]

is that realistic?

that’s what the overall average needs to be. Hopefully the cornerstones of the football program, we all know who they are, can give significantly.

 

[rutgersal]

Need to be competitive to really get that NIL money. Once we get there, things will get better quickly. The product has been crap for a decade - it’s getting better - but I can’t imagine the big wigs are keen on throwing millions towards a bottom of the B1G finish.

We should be competitive this year. I’ve noticed an increase in users to this board, especially longtime users who previously disappeared.

 

[RUDiddy777]

We should be competitive this year. I’ve noticed an increase in users to this board, especially longtime users who previously disappeared.

None of us are throwing, passing or blocking.

 

[rutgersal]

None of us are throwing, passing or blocking.

But some of us are supporting those who throw, pass, and block :)

 

[LETSGORU91]

Re Delaney:

He is basically saying our facilities are not up to par here. Which isn’t a secret as Rutgers commissioned a study saying the same. It was posted on scarletknights.com at one point.
Can’t really fault him, for thinking this way, because football has been mostly dreadful, since we joined in 2014.

Can't fault him? He was at the helm when Rutgers entered the B1G. He brokered the deal which put us behind the 8 ball from the get go with our reduced payouts. The B1G and full share members reaped the rewards of the NYC market while they pulled away and probably laughed as the Brinks truck arrived on their doorsteps.

 

[RUScrew85]

is that realistic?

LOL. We'd be lucky to get 5000 people to donate $20.

 

[rutgersal]

Can't fault him? He was at the helm when Rutgers entered the B1G. He brokered the deal which put us behind the 8 ball from the get go with our reduced payouts. The B1G and full share members reaped the rewards of the NYC market while they pulled away and probably laughed as the Brinks truck arrived on their doorsteps.

The Big Ten is a Football Conference, not a charity. The reduced payout was to buy into the Big Ten Football Network. Kind of like buying into a partnership. Oregon and Washington will also be taking reduced payouts. USC and UCLA will not because they bring powerful brands to the table.

We are lucky to be full members. Adding Rutgers was purely a money play, because everyone knew we weren’t likely to be successful right off the bat. Our addition worked out for the other members. Now it’s on us to build a program that can be successful in this conference. We are almost there.

 

[rutgersal]

LOL. We'd be lucky to get 5000 people to donate $20.

I’m putting you down for the first $20

 

[RUScrew85]

I’m putting you down for the first $20

Not for NIL. And for the other stuff it's already been donated. ; )

 

[SantaFeScarlet]

We are receiving a full share already. Biggest and most repeated misconception on these boards.

Aren't we still playing back B1G loans?

 

[WhoRU?]

Al, you're off by a zero. $100,000,000 ÷ 2,000 fans = $50,000 per donor.

Forget it. He’s on a roll.

 

[SantaFeScarlet]

USC and UCLA will not because they bring powerful brands to the table.

USC and UCLA earned a full share each because they pay for themselves immediately bringing the #2 media market to the B1G.

 

[NickRU714]

The Big Ten is a Football Conference, not a charity. The reduced payout was to buy into the Big Ten Football Network. Kind of like buying into a partnership. Oregon and Washington will also be taking reduced payouts. USC and UCLA will not because they bring powerful brands to the table.

We are lucky to be full members. Adding Rutgers was purely a money play, because everyone knew we weren’t likely to be successful right off the bat. Our addition worked out for the other members. Now it’s on us to build a program that can be successful in this conference. We are almost there.

"Lucky"?
You said it yourself - we were a purely money play.
There was no luck involved.

Our athletic success (past or future potential) had nothing to do with it. Again, as you said "The Big Ten is a Football Conference, not a charity".

Yes, the reduced payouts made sense to buy into the Big Ten Network.
The amount was nonsensical and set us up for failure. What was the cost of that share of the BTN? And why did we have to pay a different amount for the same equal share as Maryland?
The same nonsensical payment structure is happening to Washington/Oregon.

 

[OntheBanks]

USC and UCLA earned a full share each because they pay for themselves immediately bringing the #2 media market to the B1G.

We brought the #1 media market to the B1G and didn't get a full share for years.

 

[koleszar]

That’s why our fate in this conference is sealed. We won’t ever catch up. eventually we will have the facilities the winners have today, but their facilities are being improved too, with more money to spend and at a faster rate.

Drive 60 mph. How long will it take pass a car going 70 mph that’s already 10 miles ahead ? Sure, you’ll travel 10 more miles but by then that other car is now 12 miles ahead.

There's only so much lipstick you can put on a pig. Eventually the road ends. There's only so many bells and whistles you can put on these things. Look at the APC it's top in class. Like I tell my wife, the longer we put off the entire house renovation the newer it will be.

 

[MADHAT1]

"Lucky"?
You said it yourself - we were a purely money play.
There was no luck involved.

Our athletic success (past or future potential) had nothing to do with it. Again, as you said "The Big Ten is a Football Conference, not a charity".

Yes, the reduced payouts made sense to buy into the Big Ten Network.
The amount was nonsensical and set us up for failure. What was the cost of that share of the BTN? And why did we have to pay a different amount for the same equal share as Maryland?
The same nonsensical payment structure is happening to Washington/Oregon.

>why did we have to pay a different amount for the same equal share as Maryland?<
starting revenue sharing was based on what the program recived from previous conferees revenue sharing.
Maryland was getting a lot more from the ACC then Rutgers did the AAC
and that's why Maryland started off getting a bigger share of B1G revenue sharing.

 

[koleszar]

"Lucky"?
You said it yourself - we were a purely money play.
There was no luck involved.

Our athletic success (past or future potential) had nothing to do with it. Again, as you said "The Big Ten is a Football Conference, not a charity".

Yes, the reduced payouts made sense to buy into the Big Ten Network.
The amount was nonsensical and set us up for failure. What was the cost of that share of the BTN? And why did we have to pay a different amount for the same equal share as Maryland?
The same nonsensical payment structure is happening to Washington/Oregon.

Rutgers and Maryland paid about the same just the buy in was structured different. They got more at the beginning of the 6yrs. but less at the end. Nebraska is where it gets annoying, they paid less to get in and I mean a whole lot less. However, without being the 12th member and adding the Championship game it couldn't be justified monetarily to add them. Without that, existing members would have had to take less.

As far as Washington and Oregon, they're getting a way better deal than Rutgers and Maryland. They're getting half share. B1G expected Rutgers to compete on $9 mil. while everyone else was getting around $40 mil. We got a 1/4 share.

 

[Ridge 22]

Aren't we still playing back B1G loans?

Yes. And that impacts our cash flow. But has no impact whatsoever on the fact that we are still earning a full share. Trust me, they are not the same thing. I am a CPA.

 

[MADHAT1]

Rutgers and Maryland paid about the same just the buy in was structured different. They got more at the beginning of the 6yrs. but less at the end. Nebraska is where it gets annoying, they paid less to get in and I mean a whole lot less. Without being the 12th member and adding the Championship game it couldn't be justified monetarily to add them. Without that, existing members would have had to take less.

As far as Washington and Oregon, they're getting a way better deal than Rutgers and Maryland. They're getting half share. B1G expected Rutgers to compete on $9 mil. while everyone else was getting around $40 mil..

I belive Maryland also started off Getting a B1G loan to pay off their $31 mil debt to the ACC for leaving and that's why their share was higher then just going by the ACC revenue like Rutgers share was based on AAC conference revenue sharing .
But like you mentioned, paying it back with reduced payments as the time for full share comes closer.

 

[Caliknight]

Why the lacrosse stadium is going to be built sooner rather than later.

 

[rutgersguy1]

Tangent to infrastructure.

 

[NickRU714]

Yes. And that impacts our cash flow. But has no impact whatsoever on the fact that we are still earning a full share. Trust me, they are not the same thing. I am a CPA.

A couple questions since you're a professional:
shouldn't the language be that Rutgers was a full member immediately and was receiving a full payout immediately?
I would assume our voting rights were equal immediately with every other member of the group.

However, our cash flow was less because we had to pay for our equity share of the Big Ten Network (1/14th share of BTN ownership)?
An equity share that was never given an actual valuation at the time (would love to hear your opinion on that part of it).
Now our cash flow is less because we are repaying loans on cash advances we took.
Same concept but different expense?

 

[Ridge 22]

A couple questions since you're a professional:
shouldn't the language be that Rutgers was a full member immediately and was receiving a full payout immediately?
I would assume our voting rights were equal immediately with every other member of the group.

However, our cash flow was less because we had to pay for our equity share of the Big Ten Network (1/14th share of BTN ownership)?
An equity share that was never given an actual valuation at the time (would love to hear your opinion on that part of it).
Now our cash flow is less because we are repaying loans on cash advances we took.
Same concept but different expense?

Two different things. One was our 'buy-in' over the first 7 years (I believe) where we truly did receive and earn less than a full share. Same for Maryland. USC/UCLA are receiving full shares from the get-go, but Oregon and Washington will be in the same boat as we were. Separately, we also took a loan from the B1G against future earnings. Essentially front-loading the timing of the cash payments to us to help offset the reduced share and enable us to make investments earlier than if we waited the full 7 years. For the past few years now, we have earned a full share (same as the other B1G schools). However, we also need to pay back the loan, which is why the cash flow we RECEIVE is less than the full share we are EARNING. Had we not taken the loan, our cash flow would not be getting reduced at this time.

Said differently, if you earn $100k a year at work, but also took a loan out from your company to cover some medical benefits of $20k, and now you need to pay that back. Your net cash flow is $80k, but that doesnt change the fact you still earned $100k