A-10 Spending

[Washingtonian]

Stole this off the vcu boards:
http://wewearthering.com/2013/12/23/2012-13-atlantic-10-spending/

Men’s Basketball
vcu went from middle of the conference in men’s basketball expenses to the top while other big spenders Richmond and Dayton round out the top three. In fourth, Duquesne continues its slow climb to the top that started near the bottom of the conference ten years ago. The next five teams, St Joes, St Louis, UMass, Fordham and George Washington are separated by less than $300, 000. George Mason out spent three Atlantic 10 teams while still playing in the Colonial Athletic Association. Rhode Island went from the top spending team in the league last year to third from the bottom while the Explorers got great bang for their buck riding their $2.8 million budget all the way to the Sweet Sixteen. St Bonaventure rounds out the list.

 

[GSII]

Does that include all the coaches' and staff salaries?

 

[gmutom]

I doubt we'll ever get as high as vcu or even Richmond, but I imagine we will creep into the top half within a few years.

 

[Bricker]

Really not too much coin separating Duquesne all the way down to Mason. One solid corporate donor could push us up a few spots...

 

[gmujim92]

Looking deeper into the numbers, what they really say is our financial commitment to hoops is already just as good (or close) as most A-10 schools.

Allowing for the fact that most of the schools ahead of us on that list are private -- and thus, charge significantly more for out-of-state tuition than we do -- I'm frankly surprised the numbers are as close as they are.

Take GW as a particularly relevant example. Based on out-of-state rates, a basketball scholarship costs them about twice what it costs us. Multiply that by 13 and you've more than made up the apparent difference in the schools' spending.

Now we just need to focus on getting the most bang for our buck.

 

[GSII]

Im not so sure these numbers arent inflated to make the programs look like big spenders for realignment purposes. Theres alot of tricks one can play with numbers.

 

[Five Two]

Take GW as a particularly relevant example. Based on out-of-state rates, a basketball scholarship costs them about twice what it costs us. Multiply that by 13 and you've more than made up the apparent difference in the schools' spending.

Is the cost of the scholarship factored into that chart?
GW is indeed about double what it costs to attend Mason.
I'd love to know what goes into this chart. GW spent a lot to renovate their gym a few years ago and paying that debt down now. Is that included in this number?
vcu is outspending us by $2M (and it certainly shows), but is that # mostly Shaka's salary or are they taking charter flights everywhere, etc, etc??

 

[GSII]

Is the exit fee to caa included for us and vcu?

 

[GSII]

There was a link showing each programs profit and loss on their bball programs. I wish pablo would post it.

 

[Washingtonian]

If y'all want to read vcu's thoughts and where I stole the link from:
http://www.vcuramnation.com/forums/...udget-to-over-5-million-leads-the-a-10.12661/

 

[Pablo]

I don't know what expenses were included in the chart, but I've seen a study that included the following basketball-related expenses:

Student scholarships & financial aid
Travel
Equipment
Medical expenses
Salaries and benefits of coaches & staff
Infrastructure costs

 

[GMUgemini]

Speaking of infrastructure costs, if you go to the USA Today database, Mason spends $0 on infrastructure costs, while vcu reports $5.5 million a year in facilties/infrastructure costs.

Now, this is over their entire athletics budget, not just basketball. But GMU's 2012 athletics budget was:

$19.378 million

vcu: $23.760 million

Difference: About $4.4 million

I'm not sure why or how GMU reports $0 for facilities.

 

[EXpatriot13]

Even though it's just getting a facelift, I can't wait for GMU to renovate the field house. That piece looks like it'll topple over any day and is such an eye sore coming down 123. Nice new dorms on one side, heinous looking "athletic facility" on the other.

 

[Flexxar]

Speaking of infrastructure costs, if you go to the USA Today database, Mason spends $0 on infrastructure costs, while vcu reports $5.5 million a year in facilties/infrastructure costs.

Now, this is over their entire athletics budget, not just basketball. But GMU's 2012 athletics budget was:

$19.378 million

vcu: $23.760 million

Difference: About $4.4 million

I'm not sure why or how GMU reports $0 for facilities.

I'm not really sure where I heard this, so take it with a grain of salt... I believe it's because Mason does not really own the buildings that they have been building. I heard that they get outside companies (Marriott for example) to build dorms, hotel, patriot center, etc on campus and Mason takes a cut of the profits. That's why they have been growing out of control recently. The final four run sealed the deal on $900M+ of "investment dollars" to expand the campus. That alone tells me that the buildings are privately owned. So they get to claim $0 because in reality, they aren't spending any money.

 

[Scythe]

Not true, they were state funded projects for the most part, decades in the making

 

[GMUSSTN]

Not true, they were state funded projects for the most part, decades in the making

I know for a fact that we don't own the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Our concerts were always at weird dates/times when the CVPA had an open slot. One year we played on Super Bowl Sunday...great turnout for that one...

 

[Scythe]

I know for a fact that we don't own the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Our concerts were always at weird dates/times when the CVPA had an open slot. One year we played on Super Bowl Sunday...great turnout for that one...

Perhaps, but most of the new buildings that were constructed were from lobbying VA for funding well in advance. Most had the money assigned to them from the state 5 years (and some up to a decade) prior to their construction. Perhaps VA has some input over how those buildings can be used, or they are collecting money by allowing another entity privledge to it I have no idea. It wouldn't shock me.

 

[GMUgemini]

I know for a fact that we don't own the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Our concerts were always at weird dates/times when the CVPA had an open slot. One year we played on Super Bowl Sunday...great turnout for that one...

This doesn't mean the university doesn't own the building. From the booking site, it sure looks like GMU manages the venue, just that they prioritize professional performances over student/faculty ones.

http://cfa.gmu.edu/rentals/CFARentalApp_10-15-2012.pdf

As opposed to the Patriot Center, which is operated by Monumental Sports as we know: atriotcentermarketing@monumentalsports.com

On the plus side, it looks like Mason has added venue space recently with the de Laski Performing Arts Center, so conflicts are probably less of a problem now.

 

[GMUSSTN]

This doesn't mean the university doesn't own the building. From the booking site, it sure looks like GMU manages the venue, just that they prioritize professional performances over student/faculty ones.

http://cfa.gmu.edu/rentals/CFARentalApp_10-15-2012.pdf

As opposed to the Patriot Center, which is operated by Monumental Sports as we know: atriotcentermarketing@monumentalsports.com

On the plus side, it looks like Mason has added venue space recently with the de Laski Performing Arts Center, so conflicts are probably less of a problem now.

They always told us that they managed the hall but didn't own it. Either way, kinda funky but I guess it makes sense.

 

[psyclone]

I'd be surprised if Mason didn't own all buildings on the Fairfax Campus.

See http://about.gmu.edu/mason-buildings/

I think when this site talks about leasing some of space, they are referring to space off-campus when on-campus space isn't sufficient (e.g. HR used to be in an office building near the fire station on University Dr., before they moved to University Hall).