Saw this today...apparently Jeremy Fishbein is concerned. Thoughts? https://www.abqjournal.com/1159605/...f-seriousness-of-sports-being-eliminated.html
If they are really serious about closing the deficit gap Football has to go. But that's completely unrealistic for a SW state U. Bb which almost certainly --unlike Fb-- is in the black. No cuts there. So that leaves Fut and bb which are in the red and vulnerable I would think (swimming,golf, T&F too)? So while I think this piece is probably a warning shot to try and pick up additional private funding until they get their fiscal house in order, it could be serious as well? MWC may have rules as far as specific 'ship totals for members. And no conference soccer/m.
Read this as well. Shocking, but not really. Men's soccer is one of the first on the chopping block these days. The push for year-round will make it even more "chopped." Unfortunately, their C-USA ties aren't helping their budget. That's insane travel in conference. There's not great options for a conference as travel to ABQ is insane regardless of where you're coming from. But, there are closer trips than South Carolina, Marshall, or Old Dominion.
Once again... College soccer programs lose money. They exist solely based on the generosity of the school and subsist on money created by revenue sports and student fees. If the revenue sports don't generate enough revenue and losses need to be trimmed, the soccer program is often an obvious choice. College soccer programs need to be more proactive about becoming revenue neutral. I would also add the decision to have a non-revenue sport like soccer play in a conference where it has to travel across two time zones for most of its games was bound to create excess expenses and make it vulnerable to budget cuts and belt-tightening.
Would be very surprised if mid-major d1 athletics dept operates in the black. They will all eventually realize the d3 model is their only chance.
To be clear, the problems in New Mexico aren't that the football and hoops programs aren't profitable, they aren't profitable enough to overcome the expenses incurred by the athletic department as a whole. https://www.abqjournal.com/1008386/revenue-up-for-unm-athletics.html The Lobos athletic department loses money because the cost of the athletic department as a whole is greater than what the football and hoops programs bring in. Therefore, the solutions are to either get the football and hoops programs to generate more revenue OR to eliminate costs. And we know how that is done. In that case, all going to D3 would do would eliminate most of the revenue the hoops and football programs produce.
We have a decent chance of saving Lobo men's soccer. But please help increase the odds by signing our petition. We all sure as hell would sign one for your programs. https://www.change.org/p/regents-unm-edu-save-unm-mens-soccer
Signed, tweeted the link and passed the link to my sons. Good luck to you guys. Jérémie, before accepting CSUB, had received an offer (relatively small scholarship) from UNM. We enjoyed at this time a nice relationship with the Assistant Coach in charge of recruitment.
Things must change in college soccer, New Mexico is a Top program.. NCAA and Athletic Directors must find a way to promote the college game... some programs lost over the last decade: Richmond, Towson, Buffalo, Maine, Hartwick to D3, Mount St. Mary's (Coming back) , Adelphi (Reclassified), Alabama A/M, Illinois State, are just a few...
To be exact (at least to my count), 39 programs cut in the last decade. Of these, here's how/why: 15 schools closed 3 cut all athletics 2 mergers 3 cut then reinstated later I've been able to find 72 programs cut. Hard to believe 39 have been in the last 10 years. https://ponchat.wordpress.com/so-long-mens-soccer/
Anyone know when a decision will be rendered regarding the continuation of the UNM program? Or perhaps a decision has already been made?
The final decision is set for July, but Title IX compliance issues have popped up to make men's soccer unlikely to continue after this upcoming season. I've posted the latest release from this week's Albuquerque Journal. Ugh! https://www.abqjournal.com/1179225/lobo-sports-not-title-ix-compliant.html
Hank. That's bad and... sad news. We often discussed about your passion for the Lobos men's soccer. And it makes me sad for you. If that fate is confirmed, the image I will keep in mind is the beautiful jersey they played with a couple of seasons ago: you explained us that the light blue was a turquoise in celebration of New Mexico's ties to Native Americans and the popular gemstone here.
Eliminate the money-losing football program and they would have to start cutting women's sports to balance the numbers. http://fasterskier.com/fsarticle/inside-numbers-unm-athletic-department-budget/
There are two issues at play. The University of New Mexico is out of compliance with Title IX, succinctly addressed in the link above. The second issue is mismanagement of the Athletic Department over the last decade. Having failed to meet its budget for 8 of the last 10 years, the AD has wrung up a debt of 4.7 million dollars, the fault of overzealous attendance projections for the three revenue sports: men's football, men's basketball, and women's basketball. Large sums have also been paid out to coaches dismissed early. The University now has in place a new Athletic Director, Kevin Nunez, and a new University President, whose job it is to sort out this mess. Again, the link above makes it clear that the football program will not be dropped. (The first game of the season has the Lobos playing the roll of sacrificial lamb to powerhouse Wisconsin and will net 1.5 million dollars to UNM).
The football team doesn't lose money. It just doesn't make enough money to float the other programs. As a soccer fan, you don't want cuts based on what teams lose money. Soccer loses money. Football doesn't. I've said this myriad times before but college soccer is a charity and it will always be vulnerable until it can figure out a way to create revenue. The problem for UNM soccer isn't that football doesn't make enough money but rather that soccer doesn't make any.
If the program is cut (I do not wish it at all), when is it going to happen? For this season (2018/2019) or for the next one? If it is for this season: can ten players find attractive teams in the short time that remains? There are very good players at UNM. Coaches should look at that (I don't mean they are vultures: but they could give good opportunities to continuing their journey to these players). And Fishbein will be a hot property in the market: he is a good coach: Hank can tell us how many players he developed to reach pro ranks.
Whipping through your questions: Yes, the program will continue for the upcoming 2018 season. After that, it all depends. About 40 Lobo players have gone on to play professional soccer here and abroad. The quality players that schools like UNM recruit typically have no trouble transferring. I'm guessing most of the current squad and 14 recruits for 2018 will stick around. (The quality the program offers will not change for this year).
Looks like this year will be the Lobos last in men's soccer. https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/unm-sport-cuts-regents-meeting-today/4994620/ Sad day for those players and coaches and a sad day for college soccer. Also needs to be a wakeup call for college soccer programs to generate more revenue.
It is so sad in many for many reasons, but besides our passion for this game and the excellence of Lobo Soccer, the school did not do them any favors being associate member of CUSA for soccer. They primarily have long trips to conference games and non conference games. On just a dollars and cents, it sadly makes sense. If the Mountain West had men's soccer, then I am quite sure it would not have been as easy to cut the sport. All of the sports cut were not in the MWC so they are looking to just cut those teams that don't have conference affiliation. It just is the contraction of the UNM athletic department. In some warped analysis - Coach Fishburn and his marvelous program are victims of his own success. I read the report and paid attention to the soccer section. His locker room and facilities, which due to his success and effort are impressive. Then it says the women's facilities are OK. I believe the exact term was immaculate and adequate. That is due to the programs view on excellence. But college administrators are liberal and don't reward excellence and cut where it may make sense but can't see the big picture of success. The crux of the argument IMO comes down to they are seeking an easy fix. Lop off these four sports and poof balanced budget. In reality the Bowman Principle says, "a non profit will spend more than it has, and it always be in a deficit." In other words - you cut these expenses and scholarships - you won't save this money but rather you will always spend more than you bring in in revenue. How - salaries, stadiums, and budgets will always expand more than you bring in. UNM will fire the football coach with two years left on his contract - hire a new one pay him more - still paying the old staff. Why? We need to generate more buts in the seats by winning. The new coach needs upgrades - spend more - so they constantly are in the the loop spend spend spend. Does football need a locker room upgrade - no but - we can't compete if we don't because it is 3 years old. Athletics has strayed. In the past you use to regional conferences that played locally until success. Just look at the SoCon and its history. They were founded by many members of P5 Schools, those broke away to join the ACC. These conferences started to get attention - boom they are elite and thought to make money - then we want to be like them. Hence they start to keep up with the Jones. I guess I am saying that UNM is a victim of the P5. The NCAA really doesn't care about soccer. They treat it like high schools - let's have it let it go a few months and then leave us alone. It is sad to say that UNM can't find a solution and they are like water flowing down hill, find the path of least resistance. Instead of finding another closer conference to reduce expenses they just cut it. My prayer is that there is a wisdom that can save this noble program steeped in excellence. That some powerful person with money will step in and endow the program. I pray that there is a wisdom that will save and reward hard work of this program, its coaches, and most importantly its players. But the thing in short supply at UNM is just that wisdom. Football blinders keep you from seeing the big picture.
definitely a bummer. surely fishbein will find a good gig for 2019 after what he's done at unm? that's hard, if not impossible, without the support of the athletics department and the school as a whole.
Collectively, college soccer needs to stop being the victim and leaving its fate in the hands of others. Because that has gotten it to the irrelevance and shrinking presence it is today. The leaders of the sport need to do more. I don't know exactly what "more" is but I know hoping that the NCAA or their school's administration saves the day is not it.