Will be bumping up football ticket prices again to pay another huge salary. Is it worth it? Obviously most people on here think it is, but I guess time will tell.




It's not complacency, it's common sense.

Maybe the previous increase was made in anticipation of moves such as this.

How much has A&M lost by not making the NCAA's 4 of the last 6 years. I know we shouldnt count on that money but it would go a long way in paying that big salary

Your estimation of how much a new baseball coach will make is inflated. The most that Byrne will throw at a new coach would be $500K and that is very unlikely. I would guess that the total incremental increase in combined salaries to a new baseball coaching regime, including assistants, will be in the $300-400K range.

Pay new head coach around $350-400K. That's an increase of $200-250K. Pay new assistants an additional $100-150K spread out over the assistants and you're there.

It's not chump change, but it's not monumental like a football or basketball coach's salary.

Let's just say that football only does have to cover this potential salary increase of $200K / year- - and be conservative and say that A&M averages 78,000 fans per game for 6 home dates. That would mean the tickets would have to go up $.43 per ticket sold.

I'd be willing to support that increase if it's even necessary. This salary increase would be lost in the round up for our budget. I realize that enough small bumps add up...but for just this one, it's almost negligible in the grand picture.

Go ahead and flame away if you disagree.

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Your estimation of how much a new baseball coach will make is inflated.

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Don't forget that in addition to paying a new coach & assistant coaches to come in, we have to pay the current staff to go out. And there's all sorts of other things in between that cost money. Byrne did a Weekly Wednesday about this once when Fran came here.

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Byrne did a Weekly Wednesday about this once when Fran came here.

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Byrne wasn't doing Weekly Wednesdays when Fran came here.

If you can't be a good example for others, you can be a horrible warning instead!

Football tickets aren't going up because we hire a new baseball coach. Now, on the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if a 12th Man contribution of, say, $25 per seat, was required for first deck tickets at Olsen next year, or some time in the not too distant future.

I believe Augie makes around $340K...My guess is the Byrne will be in that range.

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How much has A&M lost by not making the NCAA's 4 of the last 6 years

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On a good year, baseball is a break-even sport at best, so we haven't really "lost" anything by not going to the NCAA's.

Gig 'Em

It won't be break even once the suites are added -- it'll be profit making.

Look, we committed ourselves to "making champions" and ending mediocrity. One can't expect to make the changes without some sacrifice. Show some patience and remain seated on the bus as it moves in the right direction. After 5 years, re-evaluate and if we're not winning some hardware then jump off and bang your pots.

basketball is making more money now as well...should take care of some of the cost.

Paying 70 bucks to watch A&M play SMU and Texas State on the football field is not worth getting Horton as a coach!

Horton will only help in recruiting 2 sport players to Texas A&M.
It is a win-win situation no matter if prices do go up because Horton will not only hopefully push the baseball team over the top but will also be able to help in recruiting.

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basketball is making more money now as well...should take care of some of the cost.

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This is where everyone needs to focus. Our success this year and our increased home attendance was not budgeted. I imagine we are sitting on hords of cash at this time.

Not to mention that season ticket orders are way, way up.

[Inflamatory remarks deleted--Texags.com Staff]

[This message has been edited by TexAgs staff (edited 5/26/2005 10:35a).]

"Paying 70 bucks to watch A&M play SMU and Texas State on the football field is not worth getting Horton as a coach!"

Then don't go to the game. No one's holding a gun to your head.

CSAGfan,

please tell me that you are like an engineer or someone who has never taken business classes. just because baseball is break even in a good year does not mean that the athletic department does not benefit from hosting a regional. let me give you a little example.

We have our Fixed Costs. Those are costs that will not change regardless of how many games we play at home. These costs include but are not limited to: Coaches salaries, player scholarships, any financing cost(whether that be loan payments, rental fees, etc) that is attached to baseball facilities, etc

Then we have our Variable Costs that are associated with the baseball program. Most of these include things such as upkeep on Olsen, electricity(running the outfield lights), costs of buying the concession stand goods, travel costs, etc.

Now the only way baseball can be a "break even" sport if there are ~$1,500,000 in fixed cost is if variable revenue>variable cost. By that analysis, we would be making money if we hosted a regional. We would either be inching closer to our break even point, or inching above breakeven and into the area we like to call PROFIT.

Comprende?

[This message has been edited by byron06 (edited 5/26/2005 11:17a).]

Losing less = making more.

Exactly BuckhornAg.

There's also a big fat payout to the NCAA with every regional and super regional. We hosted as recently as 2003, and played as many games as possible on that weekend. Look it up and see how much "extra" we made off of hosting. It ain't much. When you put in your bid, that determines the amount of your payout. If your revenues fail to equal your bid, you then lose money hosting a regional. The NCAA gets theirs regardless.

Some of you need to realize that baseball at a lot of schools is break-even at best. Yes, including A&M.

Gig 'Em


[This message has been edited by CollegeStationAgFan (edited 5/26/2005 1:49p).]

I think TWK is right. Maybe a charge for lower deck seats. Maybe an increase in season ticket prices. A corresponding increase in individual tickets and maybe a little extra for any premium games (tx, bay, etc). Don't think they can change prices for students who get the all-sports pass as I believe that is set for this next year and is tied to football prices. All in all I look for some sort(s) of slight increases to cover the cost of hiring.

Remember that we also received a little extra this year due to a few more games being on TV since there was no hockey.

Many teams probably lose money hosting regionals, but Im pretty confident we draw more attendance at a regional than most schools. Look at it this way, if you charge just an average of $10/ticket and average 7000 fans per game and it goes all the way to the finals with both teams in the final having 1 loss then there are 7 games I believe then you would bring in almost $500,000 in revenue before you even start to count up concessions, local business, etc. Hosting regionals is a GOOD economic thing no matter how you slice it. Even if we payed all revenue back to the NCAA, it is a benefit to local business which is of course a benefit to Texas A&M University.

[This message has been edited by byron06 (edited 5/26/2005 2:36p).]

CS Ag is right. By submitting a bid, you guarantee a certain payout to the NCAA. Most host schools tend to either break even or even lose money on hosting regionals. Many schools don't mind losing a little money to host because it's basically paying for the privilege of home games.

When you see a #2 seed host, it's generally for 1 of 3 reasons:
a) no bid from the #1 seed (e.g. facilities not up to requirements, not willing to take financial risk, etc.)
b) the #1 seed's bid was a lowball figure
c) the #2 seed put in a bid that knocked the socks off of the committee members and they felt they couldn't pass it up.

On another subject, are y'all saying that there's not a minimum foundation contribution for getting seats in the lower deck?

I disagree, teams want to host regionals to play at home and improve chance to go to CWS.

Everyone has to remember, football must cover part or all of just about all sports. So if your bi*ching about high football prices, remember it's covering softball, tennis, etc.

Some of you have lost track with BB vision "Building Champions". The more all sports start winning, the more fans in the stands, more revenue generated. Get it. The more revenue the these sports generate will take pressure off of football having to cover them.

Winning takes time and suppport!

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if you charge just an average of $10/ticket and average 7000 fans per game and it goes all the way to the finals with both teams in the final having 1 loss then there are 7 games I believe then you would bring in almost $500,000 in revenue before you even start to count up concessions, local business, etc.

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Yeah, but you have to average 7000 per game. Let's make up a hypothetical regional with A&M, UH, Seton Hall and Western Michigan. A&M and UH are 1 & 2 seeds and both send Seton Hall and Western Michigan to the losers bracket. Do you think that that game (SH vs WMU) will pull in around 8,000 fans? Remember, you're shooting for an average attendance of 7,000 for the weekend, which A&M NEVER does. In addition to all of this, you have to pay to house players who live in the dorms who need a place to stay after the dorms empty out, you have to pay your game staff, your players get a per diem, etc, etc, etc.

Gig 'Em

[This message has been edited by CollegeStationAgFan (edited 5/26/2005 4:58p).]

[This message has been edited by CollegeStationAgFan (edited 5/26/2005 4:59p).]

i'll ***** about football tix prices all i want.

[No you won't. Especially not on the baseball board--Texags.com Staff]

[This message has been edited by TexAgs staff (edited 5/26/2005 5:25p).]

byron, excellent business analysis!

I'm having a hard time seeing how A&M benefits by local business benefitting.

Gig 'Em

If I'm not mistaken, baseball is only in the black when we host regionals (maybe only if we host supers too). I think that's the case.

A bad local economy is definitely a good thing for our university...

someone mentioned having to pay the assistant coaches on the way out.....Lawler's contract expires in August so that wouldn't be a hit $-wise

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Check out "Texas A&M & Baseball In No Particular Order"
at tamu-and-baseball.com

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A bad local economy is definitely a good thing for our university...

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Not sure where you're headed with this. If On The Border draws a better-than-average crowd while a regional or super is in town, how does that benefit A&M?

Answer: It doesn't.

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Even if we payed all revenue back to the NCAA, it is a benefit to local business which is of course a benefit to Texas A&M University.

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I'm sure the hotels and movie theaters and the malls may appreciate the small spike in business, but A&M won't make a dime off the money small business makes if a regional is played ay Olsen.



Gig 'Em

Having a strong local economy, esp. service type industies does help A&M. It's called sponsorships. Somebody has to pay for all the give aways at the games.

You think all those business in front of Kyle on Saturdays are there for free.

I'm not saying this is big money, but every little bit helps.

Some might not be old enough to know B/CS when there where no places to eat, drink (except the chicken). I'm class of 90, my brother is class of 82. When he was at A&M, there was hardly nothing in town.

Those who don't want the Aggies to play at the highest level should adopt a team like Sam Houston St. and get season tickets to their games.