Kudos for posting this!
Is Cignetti getting shortchanged on NIL?
- Thread starter IUgradman
- Start date
Kudos for posting this!
One of the most intelligent and accurate posts I've seen on this site. I would absolutely cap men's bball, particularly if it starts to cut into anything that Cignetti needs for a competitive advantage.
You are right, football dwarfs basketball.
I think MBB spending is about right at the moment, NIL is slightly higher than last year and what seems to be the rev share allocated to bball seems reasonable. I don't think MBB is materially taking away from football -- but I'm just an outside observer. I wouldn't suddenly push our bball spend higher tough. Football should eat first, though if CDD wins and can prove additional NIL will result in more wins that energize donations, then that's the case for more money to MBB. MBB can have a good ROI at IU.
It's tough, Scott has a hard job -- he's got to raise money, keep finicky donors happy, and keep all the sports programs happy. Not easy.
It's tough, Scott has a hard job -- he's got to raise money, keep finicky donors happy, and keep all the sports programs happy. Not easy.
He has the backing now. Can’t discount Pam.
I doubt pam had much to do with anything.
The athletic dept got a $25M "loan" from IU to cover recent costs, most of it related to football. That and all the recent spending on football ain't happening without Pam.
And Cig constantly thanks Scott and Pam... there is a reason for that. It's very hard to be good at football if the whole university isn't behind the effort, and for that the happen the President needs to be on board.
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Gig has consistently mentioned Pam
Last fiscal year, not the covid loan. https://www.indystar.com/story/spor...4-million-to-athletic-department/78064919007/
I don’t think most (if any) of these moves could be done without “outside” (donor) money anyway. If that money isn’t there so be it, but it would call into question whether IU can sustain a successful football program or not. Long-term, it’s doubtful imo that it can be done just by increasing the coaches’ compensation and NIL.
I have absolutely no idea how I missed this. I follow Zach on Twitter and refresh the list where his tweets appear many times per day. Thank you.
I don't know either. I think our facilities are "okay" for now and players prefer getting paid. But at some point we'll have to do more on facilities, when I don't know.
At the end of the day, we're 18 months into this process of getting out of the bottom of the B1G. We've got a lot of catching up to do on the vitally important revenue side, but we have potential. Pretty much all the money comes from the fans directly or indirectly, so we've got to hope IU can (i) keep selling more tickets, probably a higher prices, (ii) get more people donating to FB, and (iii) engage some new sponsors/corporate interest now that IUFB is more popular and getting more exposure (naming rights, suites). Easy for me to say, Scott & Co have actually do this.
The other big moment probably is, assuming he says, Cig's retirement and however we pick/transition to his successor. A Cig trained successor would make a lot of sense. But we can cross that bridge hopefully in 8-10+ years...
Overall though, sitting here today I think IU is on the right path and putting forth a serious best effort. This all won't happen overnight. I don't see much point in worrying, for once we can just focus on the games. The only thing on my mind with IUFB is that Illinois B1G conference opener.
Largely agree but as someone who was around for the Rose Bowl season, Corso’s Holiday Bowl, as well as the Mallory era, I’ll readily admit to a certain degree of paranoia nowadays after having witnessed those earlier opportunities get pi$$ed away. Luckily for us, I think both Cig and Dolson are cut from somewhat different cloth than some of their predecessors.
This last decade of Indiana football really hasn’t been that bad. Five bowl bids, two seasons ranked in the top ten for multiple weeks, and another season with 8 wins. We’re getting spoiled.
As far as improvements to our football infrastructure, I see 2 things that need to take priority: Luxury Suites & an Indoor Practice Facility that is Football-centric.
Luxury Suites get the largest ROI and I think we'd sell them all out before they were even built. IU has a lot of wealthy alumni that would gobble those suites up and that brings in the most $$/SF you can get with any stadium upgrades.
A Football-centric building that would house the coaches, an indoor practice field, and all the other bells and whistles to catch a recruit's eye and keep current players happy, would be #2 on my Wishlist. I'd add-on to Mellencamp and keep the footprint of the current practice field and build off of it.
Luxury Suites get the largest ROI and I think we'd sell them all out before they were even built. IU has a lot of wealthy alumni that would gobble those suites up and that brings in the most $$/SF you can get with any stadium upgrades.
A Football-centric building that would house the coaches, an indoor practice field, and all the other bells and whistles to catch a recruit's eye and keep current players happy, would be #2 on my Wishlist. I'd add-on to Mellencamp and keep the footprint of the current practice field and build off of it.
For the suites, I also think the trick is getting corporate interest. Ideally the big Indy companies — big law/accounting firms, Lilly, etc. who will buy suites to entertain clients. It would be great to shake them down for expensive suites.
It could happen. Right now IUFB game days are a heck of a good time. Better than a Colts game.
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It's interesting how the experts on this forum feel more strongly about an indoor facility than our actual head coach does.
It's definitely behind luxury suites in my mind. I wouldn't tear down Mellencamp either. I'd add onto it, and the football specific facilities plus coach's offices, would be the real upgrade I envision.
or pam was thanked because you grease the wheels that you need to. Good reason to keep on Pam's good side.
With NIL now the driving force in college athletics, a strong FB program will be the key to being competitive and surviving. BB just doesn't have push-following that FB has.....nowhere near
Well, it's possible NIL is essentially dead (not literally, but in its current format) now, depending on how this new plan survives litigation. If it is, that favors us, as least in football.
This "NIL Go" Clearinghouse will be interesting. I doubt it survives legal challenges, it's just so hard to restrict programs from paying kids what they want to pay them, especially in situations where players are from less well off families -- good luck with that in the courts and with lawmakers. But if this clearinghouse actually has teeth I hope it helps us.
My guess is whatever resistance to NIL deals "NIL Go" puts up, it will just become an exercise to workaround it so schools can pay players what they want to pay them. Personally, I think trying to restrict NIL deals is ridiculous. If people want to pay these kids that's the market and let them do it. Spare me the pearl clutching about "market NIL" and what fans think is fair -- fair is what programs want to pay.
My guess is whatever resistance to NIL deals "NIL Go" puts up, it will just become an exercise to workaround it so schools can pay players what they want to pay them. Personally, I think trying to restrict NIL deals is ridiculous. If people want to pay these kids that's the market and let them do it. Spare me the pearl clutching about "market NIL" and what fans think is fair -- fair is what programs want to pay.
Right, & it will be an interesting scenario to watch as it evolves, with judicial twists & turns
Clearinghouse is a really stupid idea anyway. Schools will be able to have boosters pay whatever they want in the long run. Clearinghouse either won't hold up in court, or end runs will be made around it with ease anyway by boosters.
The only restrictions that might work is on transfers, and academic standing. Some have already been shot down. But at least those type of restrictions fit more normal college operating procedures.
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The only restrictions that might work is on transfers, and academic standing. Some have already been shot down. But at least those type of restrictions fit more normal college operating procedures.
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Gross. Really don't like that especially when the Athletic Department cut some jobs in addition to shuttering open positions. If it gets paid back in full I'm happy to have the football team succeed but I also don't like what I've heard about price increases and seat guarantees.
IU was way behind on all of that. They don’t have the luxury suites that a lot of teams have either. They need to generate revenue and the donation is standard practice many places
We need to get thode east side suites built.
Press box with suites needs to be next
Oh I know. I just hate that after one spectacular season lines up with needing to keep up with the Joneses. 53,000 seats won't cut it, especially with all the momentum. Money from suites is great but I hope they increase capacity so fans don't get left out, especially the students. I just don't see it happening with Memorial Stadium
Dust off the original plans and get the east side up to where it was supposed to be (equal to West side) and replace press box on West side and include suites. Should top the entire West side stands.
Could also add a ring of concessions and restrooms around the outside of concourse instead of fence/wall. Might be needed anyway as part of foundation for adding to east stands
There are ways to increase seating, but it’ll take time
Everyone has to lose weight so they can squeeze us in
Who’s bring the GLP-1 to the tailgate!Everyone has to lose weight so they can squeeze us in
I doubt we'll need to go above 59,500 ... (unless we sell out corporate suites, long term, along the top of the East side...).
Well, the other option is we go back to a being crappy program and everyone can get cheap tickets.
Football is the only sport that has a good ROI. It makes sense to invest in it.
Lilly would be a great stadium sponsor…
Plenty of tickets available right now for the public at very reasonable prices. Student allocation is the same. So… who is being left out?
And competing in athletics is a “keeping up with Joneses” thing by its very nature.
People will try to complain about everything.
That would not be my priority...too high up. I would put up 40 suites plus a multi-purpose room atop the east side.
