Could UConn Athletics Teams Be Next on the Chopping Block?

The University of Connecticut “must do away with some teams and programs,” according to Mike Anthony of the Hartford Current. Anthony, who covers UConn athletics regularly, suggests that the school might have to cut as many as 8 of its 24 athletics programs, which would leave it at the minimum 16 to continue as an FBS football program – the top level of collegiate football.

Financial pressure in Storrs has continued to mount over the last week, with the school warning that revenue losses due to the coronavirus pandemic could force ‘deep cuts’ to academic and athletic programs in the coming year. The school has not explicitly said that they will cut programs, but have said that big financial cuts to “academic, administrative, athletics, literally everything we do” are coming.

The school is projecting between $65 million and $129 million in revenue lost if the university moves classes online in the fall, with that decision planned to be made by June 30.

The school has instructed the athletics department to reduce its university subsidy by $10 million per year by 2023. That’s similar territory to East Carolina, which announced the cut of 4 programs, including swimming & diving, earlier this week as part of an effort to close a $10 million-per-year budget deficit. ECU sponsored 20 sports previously, which made it the second-biggest program in the AAC behind UConn’s 24.

Announcements on cost reductions are expected after a June 12 budget workshop.

Part of the proposal to close the gap is to count out-of-state student-athletic scholarships at an in-state value, which is really just a budget shift from athletics to the university, but would be projected to shrink the subsidy by about $4 million.

A big piece of the gap has to do with UConn’s return to the Big East Conference, where they will return as a member on July 1, 2020. That will make the football team an independent, as the basketball-focused Big East doesn’t sponsor football. Leaving the Big East includes a $17 million AAC exit fee.

In the 2018-2019 season, UConn reported operating revenues for athletics of just over $79 million, which included $30 million in direct institutional support and another $8 million in student fees. That amounts to over $60,000 for each of the department’s approximately 650 student-athletes in subsidies alone, in addition to the costs that are covered by athletics department revenues and donations. In-state tuition at UConn was under $18,000 for in-state students in 2019-2020.

Their department’s total expenses were $80,905,645. As recently as 2013, the department did not require a financial subsidy, but a move to the AAC hurt its media revenues. The hope is that the move to the Big East Conference with the powerhouse UConn basketball program will result in a bigger television payout. The Big East signed a 12-year, $500 million media rights agreement with Fox in 2013.

UConn football has signed an independent television deal with CBS Sports Network, and while the school did not disclose financial terms, they said it is worth “seven figures,” meaning between $1 million and $10 million.

So far, NCAA Division I institutions have announced the cut of 17 athletics programs since the coronavirus pandemic began. Some of those programs, like ECU, were already in financial trouble, which was exacerbated by the pandemic. Schools that have cut programs include Akron, Bowling Green State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, East Carolina, FIU, Furman, Old Dominion, and Wisconsin-Green Bay.

NCAA Division I programs cut

  • Akron (17). Men’s cross country, men’s golf, women’s tennis.
  • Bowling Green (17). Men’s baseball
  • Central Michigan (16). Men’s indoor track & field, Men’s outdoor track & field
  • Cincinnati (18). Men’s soccer
  • East Carolina (16): Men’s swimming, Women’s swimming, Men’s tennis, Women’s tennis
  • FIU (16). Men’s indoor track & field.
  • Furman (18). Men’s baseball, Men’s lacrosse.
  • Old Dominion (18). Men’s wrestling.
  • Wisconsin-Green Bay (18). Men’s golf, Women’s golf.

Number in parenthesis represents varsity programs that the schools will sponsor in 2020-2021.

The UConn women’s swimming & diving team finished 6th out of 6 teams at the 2020 AAC Conference Championship meet, while the UConn men finished 4th out of 4 teams. The defending men’s conference champions from ECU having been cut and UConn’s departure leaves just Cincinnati and SMU sponsoring men’s swimming programs in the American.

UConn Sponsored Sports

Men:

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Ice hockey
  • Soccer
  • Swimming & diving
  • Tennis
  • Track & Field (indoor/outdoor)

Women:

  • Basketball
  • Cross country
  • Field hockey
  • Ice hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Rowing
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming & diving
  • Tennis
  • Track & field (indoor/outdoor)
  • Volleyball

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Nswim
4 years ago

Although there are many people here pointing out that this article may be too much speculation, I know one of the assistants for the UCONN team and they are worried. No word but apparently the coaches have been put on watch

swim3057
4 years ago

In reading the comments that have been posted, they range from appreciative of Braden posting the story as a “heads up” of what may be coming down the pike in the next few weeks to acknowledgements of the unfortunate realities of collegiate athletics, especially outside of the autonomous/Power 5 conferences to denial and anger from those connected with UCONN swimming.

Let’s focus on the fact this story was written in Connecticut and acknowledged by SwimSwam and what might be done before the 6/12 budget workshop to try and save this (and other UCONN) program (s).

1. If you are a current, former or future UCONN swimmer, alum of the school or parent, write UCONN President Thomas Katsouleas and Athletic Director… Read more »

Deepsouth
4 years ago

This one wasn’t hard to see coming. The Big East move was the right one for UConn long term but the timing of the exit fee to the AAC plus delayed revenue from BE puts them in a tough spot, even with an enhanced football TV deal vs what they had in the AAC (which amazes me b/c they suck and who is watching them?)

I really thought they were going FCS in football when joining the BE like Nova and Georgetown but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Someone is going to have to pay for that shortfall.

Wonder if they try to sue or delay their way out of the AAC exit fee? But those schools… Read more »

swim3057
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

Braden: it will be interesting to read your editorial. Of course asking the NCAA to put a policy in place like you suggest would require the membership, especially the Power 5 who accelerate the spending, to concur. Interesting to note that UCONN has a 6 lane 50 meter pool that was built as part of the Gampel Pavillion construction. Gampel is the on campus facility that hosts UCONN’s men’s and women’s basketball games. Not sure in today’s environment the administration would have the foresight to include multiple diverse sports in a project like that; and that may be part of the problem at a macro level.

200 SIDESTROKE B CUT
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

“I think the facilities arms race is ruining college athletics.”
Perfection. Succinct.
Careless spending (facilities et al.) is coming home to roost, sadly. And a lot of innocent people are going to face the punishment for it.

LNgra
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

The 40 million basketball complex youre talking about was donated by Peter werth hince the name “werth basketball complex”. Did not come out of athletics budget so I would look more into that.

LNgra
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

I agree, too much spending

LNgra
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

40 million basketball complex was donated. Get your facts right

200 SIDESTROKE B CUT
Reply to  LNgra
4 years ago

OK we get it.

avidreader
4 years ago

Very disappointed in the UConn swimmers right now, based on comments I see them leaving here.

If I were a non-athlete student at UConn, and I saw that that the school was hemorrhaging $40 million/year to prop up the athletics program, and then I came to this page and saw the UConn swimmers wanting everyone to just shut up and not listen to it, I would be pissed.

$40 million to prop up 650 students among an enrollment of 20,000. That’s $61,538 per student-athlete, per year, at a school where in-state tuition is only $16,000. And they all just want everyone to sit here and say “rah rah UConn swimming is awesome” and pretend like there aren’t financial difficulties in… Read more »

coolCatzandkittenz
Reply to  avidreader
4 years ago

What did UConn swimmers do wrong? I’m not even a UConn swimmer just an admiring swim swam fan who supports all college swimming teams. We are in a pandemic avid reader! It would look extremely poor on ANY swim team to try and raise money. Again, maybe you shouldn’t be putting anger towards the swimmers who have devoted their life to this.

Irish Ringer
Reply to  coolCatzandkittenz
4 years ago

There’s nothing wrong with trying to raise money during a pandemic. If you wait for it to pass it may be too late.

Kate
Reply to  avidreader
4 years ago

I wasn’t good enough to swim at UConn, but I was an athlete there in another sport. I’m positive that if swimming is indeed on the chopping block, so is my old team; it’s an expensive sport and brings in zero revenue. Reality is that UConn will preserve MBB, WBB, and football at all costs because they bring in revenue that funds the majority of non-rev sports.

It would undeniably suck, but whining on social media or on news sites is not going to change the AD’s mind.

UConn Superfan
4 years ago

H.

UCONNHUSKIEZ4LIFE
4 years ago

Maybe y’all shouldn’t write articles like this that could scare the swimmers on the team. Also guarantee that “Mike” doesn’t know the budget cuts or money situation going on at UConn. Next topic please.

Swim3057
Reply to  UCONNHUSKIEZ4LIFE
4 years ago

In this day and age you could easily search the internet and see what “Mike” has written previously in the Hartford Courant about UCONN and then make an educated decision about how close he is to the department and how well sourced he might be. Sometimes the truth hurts and he has outlined some very legitimate issues that date back years.

The Importer AND Exporter
Reply to  UCONNHUSKIEZ4LIFE
4 years ago

I’m guessing this was a managed news piece on the part of the university to publicly lay the groundwork for change to come and figure out what the response would look like.

Deepsouth
Reply to  The Importer AND Exporter
4 years ago

Ding Ding Ding.

Justin Thompson
Reply to  UCONNHUSKIEZ4LIFE
4 years ago

Hiding from a bad situation isn’t going to change the outcome. Unfortunately people will receive bad news during their life whether it be budget cuts, job losses, illness, etc. There are no safe spaces.

swmr
4 years ago

this is extremely disrespectful to the uconn swim team. you should not be trying to tear a team apart or making them worry about their future just to get people to read your page. take this down

Justin Thompson
Reply to  swmr
4 years ago

This should be a wake up call to the importance that a successful economy plays in society functioning efficiently. Ideas like forgiving student loans and offering free tuition sound nice, but are not realistic. This pandemic has illustrated that when revenue declines it has far ranging impact.

AmericanLock
Reply to  Justin Thompson
4 years ago

This has nothing to do with forgiving student loans and free tuition, Justin Thompson – stop watching Fox News!

Justin Thompson
Reply to  AmericanLock
4 years ago

It’s an anology to illustrate that colleges are subject to real world financial situations. You could probably piece that together on CNN too if you feel so inclined.

Schweemer
4 years ago

Very disappointed in SwimSwam for this article. College athletes around the country are all distressed about the state of their athletic career and you are feeding off of these emotions by curating articles based on unknowns simply for clicks and views. If the decision won’t be made until June, leave it at that. No need to put an entire team of young athletes into more of a panic than they already are. Everyone is aware of the risks facing their athletic departments due to the current state of the world. Why single out one school/program to create more fear? Now is not the time for speculations.

avidreader
Reply to  Schweemer
4 years ago

Good point, if nobody talks about it, it definitely won’t happen, right??

Maybe if we talked about these things more, people would be more motivated to start actually doing something about it, like fundraising those passionate alumni who are going to be ‘devastated’ in a month when the program is cut.

Y’all should go ahead and start your change.org petition now. Because, that will save the program, right?!?!

So sick of swimming burying its collective head in the sand about money at every level of the sport and then juts getting internet outraged when the house of cards falls apart. Go out and do something about it if you don’t want your program to be cut.

Jason Zajonc
Reply to  avidreader
4 years ago

This is a great piece. We must stand together and support the programs we love before they are discarded.

avidreader
Reply to  Braden Keith
4 years ago

I would bet that the 17 athletics programs above wish that someone had reported on their imminent demise. Weren’t we all just complaining yesterday that the ECU coach was given no warning to try and save his program? Well, UConn Swimming, here’s your warning. Thanks SwimSwam.

Swimmom22
Reply to  avidreader
4 years ago

I see the struggles on both sides. As a mom of a swimmer at another school who’s program is and has been at great risk of being cut, these kids are already struggling to fundraise behind the scenes. Especially now I see my son feeling a little helpless being at home and unable to do more to help his program from quarantine.
However, of course in the bigger picture of education and the nation’s economy, saving non-profit teams is not as important and universities and athletic departments will have to make some tough decisions for the benefit of the school holistically.
Overall very sad and unfortunate for all teams across the country going through the same thing.

PVSFree
Reply to  Schweemer
4 years ago

Honestly I find it odd that people on SwimSwam get mad at SwimSwam for reporting news sometimes. It’s a news site. That’s what they do.

z h
Reply to  Schweemer
4 years ago

I think it is great that Braden and Mel are taking the lead on this. They are addressing fair concerns with fair questions. Maybe we should have the conversation if it is all appropriate and necessary for Universities to subsidize athletics at all.

Football and basketball have too much invested in them and generate real revenue to realistically disappear but an honest conversation is why do we insist on this model when literally the rest of the world operates predominantly on a club model for all of their sports. It’s a tough pill to swallow but the 1950s liberal arts model for US universities is long gone. Once upon a time not everyone went to college and those for… Read more »

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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