FBS attendance requirements and other interesting stuff

[Big R]

I thought this was an interesting and informative article focused on FCS schools in Texas (there are 9). I’m pretty sure that all the various school administration officials quoted anonymously are from those schools.

Obviously, UD has already been through these considerations and made the decision to move up. One aspect of the NCAA October rule changes that I had missed was the elimination of the 15,000 average paid attendance requirement for FBS schools that had caused a number of schools (UMass, Akron, Ball State, etc.) to have to buy their own tickets for years in order to get to the mandated 15,000 average (many then gave them away to charities). So, apparently there is no longer any paid attendance requirement to be an FBS school. I don’t think this would have been a significant issue for UD, even given the drop in average attendance over the last decade or so. And with the move up to FBS, one would hope that our attendance numbers have bottomed out (well, maybe that will happen next year, given the schedule), and should start climbing once we begin Conference USA play.

https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2 ... view_title

[Ramblinrec74]

I hope they have bottomed out, but I have a feeling that if ticket and parking prices jump, and we take a beating for a few years once we start Conf. USA, we may not see the bottom yet. I definitely will miss the playoffs, and some of the away game travel!

[Gannonfan]

I hope they have bottomed out, but I have a feeling that if ticket and parking prices jump, and we take a beating for a few years once we start Conf. USA, we may not see the bottom yet. I definitely will miss the playoffs, and some of the away game travel!

The email today did say that season ticket prices for folks renewing for 2024 will not increase in the first FBS season in 2025, so that means no increase this year and no increase next year, at least for current season ticket holders that are renewing this year.

There's certainly going to be some cost increase - that's the price to play in a better conference with better opponents and hopefully in a facility that just keeps improving.

[UD '01 grad]

Top 2023 FCS attendance schools:

https://twitter.com/FCS_STATS/status/17 ... 06/photo/1

Delaware averaged 13,917 across seven games, including a couple bad-weather contests and just over 4,000 (counted) for Lafayette playoff game.

[Bluewyn Gold]

The 15K attendance requirement was dropped in exchange for increasing the entrance fee to $5M.

[Caldwell Chicken]

Does anyone have information on how the NCAA justified an enormous increase in the fee? $5K to $5M.
Also, what does the NCAA do with this money?
Just curious.

[77HEN]

The 15K attendance requirement was dropped in exchange for increasing the entrance fee to $5M.

Well, revenue from one home game should cover that fee.

[Bluewyn Gold]

Does anyone have information on how the NCAA justified an enormous increase in the fee? $5K to $5M.

I've not read an explanation for the increase; however, the increase and other changes imply that the NCAA (and current FBS constituency) wants to make sure that schools who make they move in the future are serious and have the finances to do so. Presumably, the $5M goes to the NCAA for operating costs, including those associated with hosting its many post-season tournaments, etc. Eliminating silly and very easily skirted qualifications like average attendance makes complete sense.

[Cluck U]

Does anyone have information on how the NCAA justified an enormous increase in the fee? $5K to $5M.

I've not read an explanation for the increase; however, the increase and other changes imply that the NCAA (and current FBS constituency) wants to make sure that schools who make they move in the future are serious and have the finances to do so. Presumably, the $5M goes to the NCAA for operating costs, including those associated with hosting its many post-season tournaments, etc. Eliminating silly and very easily skirted qualifications like average attendance makes complete sense.

Seems a bit odd that the fee for transferring up to FBS would be budgeted for regular operating expenses. Most organizations do not make their operating expenses dependent on large oddball/inconsistent/unpredictable revenue bumps. What if no team transfers up for a couple years?

Just feels like a scam. It surely doesn’t cost the NCAA any measurable amount to add a team to FBS…the conferences would cover the necessary changes to their communications. Zero reason for the fee…except to fatten some bonus checks.

[Bluewyn Gold]

Seems a bit odd that the fee for transferring up to FBS would be budgeted for regular operating expenses. Most organizations do not make their operating expenses dependent on large oddball/inconsistent/unpredictable revenue bumps. What if no team transfers up for a couple years?

Just feels like a scam. It surely doesn’t cost the NCAA any measurable amount to add a team to FBS…the conferences would cover the necessary changes to their communications. Zero reason for the fee…except to fatten some bonus checks.

Oh, I didn't mean to suggest the NCAA depended on fees derived from FBS transitions as a main source of revenue. It's just a tiny excess to help defray expenses. ($5M is a drop in a 10 gallon bucket.) You're right; the NCAA would go broke if they had to depend on future FCS reclassifications. There may not be many from here on out, given the financial requirements now in place.

Make no mistake, protectionist elements are at play here. The NCAA through its FBS leadership intend to minimize future FCS reclassification. Imposing a hefty entrance fee is but one way to accomplish that.

https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2016/5/13/w ... ey-go.aspx

[jd of de]

Does anyone have information on how the NCAA justified an enormous increase in the fee? $5K to $5M.
Also, what does the NCAA do with this money?
Just curious.

Next years move to a 12-team football playoff system has a new sharing agreement, which I have not taken the time to learn, but under the old 4-team playoff system, each G5 conference received a payout equal to $1m per school in that conference and all of FCS received $1m total, and divided that up between all the FCS conferences.

Hence a $5m entrance fee covers what the NCAA needs to payout of the big boys playoff payday for the first 5 years. Another way the P4s are showing, that hate sharing money with anyone.

[Bluewyn Gold]

Hence a $5m entrance fee covers what the NCAA needs to payout of the big boys playoff payday for the first 5 years. Another way the P4s are showing, that hate sharing money with anyone.

Doesn't the CFP Administration alone govern, administer, and distribute revenues to conferences from the FBS post-season, not the NCAA?

https://collegefootballplayoff.com/index.aspx

[Big R]

Seems a bit odd that the fee for transferring up to FBS would be budgeted for regular operating expenses. Most organizations do not make their operating expenses dependent on large oddball/inconsistent/unpredictable revenue bumps. What if no team transfers up for a couple years?

Just feels like a scam. It surely doesn’t cost the NCAA any measurable amount to add a team to FBS…the conferences would cover the necessary changes to their communications. Zero reason for the fee…except to fatten some bonus checks.

Oh, I didn't mean to suggest the NCAA depended on fees derived from FBS transitions as a main source of revenue. It's just a tiny excess to help defray expenses. ($5M is a drop in a 10 gallon bucket.) You're right; the NCAA would go broke if they had to depend on future FCS reclassifications. There may not be many from here on out, given the financial requirements now in place.

Make no mistake, protectionist elements are at play here. The NCAA through its FBS leadership intend to minimize future FCS reclassification. Imposing a hefty entrance fee is but one way to accomplish that.

https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2016/5/13/w ... ey-go.aspx

That was my first thought, but the article in my original post makes it pretty clear that, at least for some of the Texas FCS schools, $5 mil is not a barrier at all. And it wasn’t for UD, either. Seems more like a money-making scheme to me, pure and simple. The question that several have posed here is valid - for who?