4 ms·

I think it's quite simple. If I'm a taxpayer in California, I want to know how my tax dollars are being spent. Specifically, I'd like to know why a football co

by kprobst 16y ago

I think it's quite simple. If I'm a taxpayer in California, I want to know how my tax dollars are being spent. Specifically, I'd like to know why a football coach is pulling in $2M a year while state employees are being threatened with furloughs and we're running the biggest deficit ever.

jamesaguilar 16y ago
The theory is that the football coach, via increased advertising dollars from a successful football program, is bringing a lot of value. Say what you will, but big college football programs pay for themselves, and then all the other sports at the college too. At least, this is what my brother, a college sports nut, tells me.
- matwood 16y ago
  That is correct. The football and/or basketball programs at many schools support the entire athletic department. The schools can then offer many other sports that don't even cover their costs.
- kprobst 16y ago
  I don't doubt that could be true, and if it's true then it certainly makes sense to spend $ to generate $$. Hopefully not a parallel to overpaid CEOs whose primary responsibility is to generate wealth for the stock holders rather than take care of the employees.
  - eru 16y ago
    You have it backwards. A CEOs responsibility is to generate shareholder value. If they work to line senior managements' pockets, that's the pathology.
- desigooner 16y ago
  It's just not advertising dollars .. they are not that much of a deal maker as far as college sports. The success of the program and the upward trend has a major effect on these things, among others: 1) # of season tickets + individual game tickets sold 2) Seat Licenses 3) Donations to keep the tickets (e.g. My School has priority points. You need a certain # of points each year to keep the seats in the same section or get into a better section and better parking). 4) More Donations and endowed scholarships from Boosters towards infrastructure improvements or money towards the fund (viz. Nike's donation to U. Oregon, T Boone Pickens and Oklahoma State, etc.) 5) Not as significant but a successful program also leads to increase in number of applicants (esp. if the program is trending up and the exposure is increasing) Also, The head coach might be making more than what the state paycheck comes across as .. the additional amount is either paid through an athletic funds trust or a certain percentage of advertising revenue or a certain percentage is footed by wealthy alumni
- anigbrowl 16y ago
  Well, it's important the USA stay competitive in the global ball relocation industry. I know, that's harsh, lots of people love sports and donate to their colleges on that basis, sports are good for character development and leadership skills as well as physical development and so on. But I have a really hard time seeing this kind of thing as anything other than an indirect subsidy to the sports industry.
- cullenking 16y ago
  That is until they blow 5 years of profits by overbuilding a new sports center for just the football and baseball teams, to replace the 3 year old center that was also overbudget. In that case, they have to cut the italian program. Go OSU :\
barrkel 16y ago
If you own a share of a company, does that entitle you to know the salaries of all its employees?
- duck 16y ago
  Usually the yearly report for the company will show the salaries of all the top executives and board members. Not sure what the actual "law" is on that though.

by kprobst 16y ago

jamesaguilar 16y ago

The theory is that the football coach, via increased advertising dollars from a successful football program, is bringing a lot of value. Say what you will, but big college football programs pay for themselves, and then all the other sports at the college too. At least, this is what my brother, a college sports nut, tells me.

matwood 16y ago
That is correct. The football and/or basketball programs at many schools support the entire athletic department. The schools can then offer many other sports that don't even cover their costs.
kprobst 16y ago
I don't doubt that could be true, and if it's true then it certainly makes sense to spend $ to generate $$. Hopefully not a parallel to overpaid CEOs whose primary responsibility is to generate wealth for the stock holders rather than take care of the employees.
- eru 16y ago
  You have it backwards. A CEOs responsibility is to generate shareholder value. If they work to line senior managements' pockets, that's the pathology.
desigooner 16y ago
It's just not advertising dollars .. they are not that much of a deal maker as far as college sports. The success of the program and the upward trend has a major effect on these things, among others: 1) # of season tickets + individual game tickets sold 2) Seat Licenses 3) Donations to keep the tickets (e.g. My School has priority points. You need a certain # of points each year to keep the seats in the same section or get into a better section and better parking). 4) More Donations and endowed scholarships from Boosters towards infrastructure improvements or money towards the fund (viz. Nike's donation to U. Oregon, T Boone Pickens and Oklahoma State, etc.) 5) Not as significant but a successful program also leads to increase in number of applicants (esp. if the program is trending up and the exposure is increasing) Also, The head coach might be making more than what the state paycheck comes across as .. the additional amount is either paid through an athletic funds trust or a certain percentage of advertising revenue or a certain percentage is footed by wealthy alumni
anigbrowl 16y ago
Well, it's important the USA stay competitive in the global ball relocation industry. I know, that's harsh, lots of people love sports and donate to their colleges on that basis, sports are good for character development and leadership skills as well as physical development and so on. But I have a really hard time seeing this kind of thing as anything other than an indirect subsidy to the sports industry.
cullenking 16y ago
That is until they blow 5 years of profits by overbuilding a new sports center for just the football and baseball teams, to replace the 3 year old center that was also overbudget. In that case, they have to cut the italian program. Go OSU :\

barrkel 16y ago

If you own a share of a company, does that entitle you to know the salaries of all its employees?

duck 16y ago
Usually the yearly report for the company will show the salaries of all the top executives and board members. Not sure what the actual "law" is on that though.