Lehigh Football Nation
April 29th, 2015, 12:25 PM
http://www.ubspectrum.com/article/2015/04/moneyball-the-cost-of-division-i-football-at-ub
Stony Brook, current member of the Colonial Athletic Association in the FCS, is investing in its football program but isn’t getting ahead of itself in terms of making the jump to FBS.
But before Stony Brook can make the jump to FBS, Heilbron said it’s important for programs to establish themselves within their level of competition.
“Everything that we want to do here is compete at the highest level,” Heilbron said. “The highest level in football is the FBS right now, but I think we have to prove that we can be a national power at the FCS before we have that conversation about the FBS because I don’t want to ever want to make that move simply just to make it.”
Heilbron said Stony Brook’s football budget is between $1-1.5 million, compared to Buffalo’s nearly $6.7 million. According to the Knights Commission spending database, Buffalo spent $59,355 per football player compared to Stony Brook’s $47,311 in 2013. For institutional support, however, Buffalo averaged $42,482 per student-athlete compared to Stony Brook’s $49,459.
Heilbron said when the Pac-12 renegotiated and received a new TV contract, it opened up “new streams of revenue that were very, very important to us” at Oregon State. At Stony Brook, Heilbron said the athletics department must rely more on fundraising, state money and institutional support.
“I do know the cost associated with being at the FBS are significant and the schools need to be willing to make that investment because it’s not worth it, to me, if you are just there to be there,” Heilbron said about a school’s decision to move to FBS. “But I do think every school has to do what’s in its best interest.”
xeyebrowx
Stony Brook, current member of the Colonial Athletic Association in the FCS, is investing in its football program but isn’t getting ahead of itself in terms of making the jump to FBS.
But before Stony Brook can make the jump to FBS, Heilbron said it’s important for programs to establish themselves within their level of competition.
“Everything that we want to do here is compete at the highest level,” Heilbron said. “The highest level in football is the FBS right now, but I think we have to prove that we can be a national power at the FCS before we have that conversation about the FBS because I don’t want to ever want to make that move simply just to make it.”
Heilbron said Stony Brook’s football budget is between $1-1.5 million, compared to Buffalo’s nearly $6.7 million. According to the Knights Commission spending database, Buffalo spent $59,355 per football player compared to Stony Brook’s $47,311 in 2013. For institutional support, however, Buffalo averaged $42,482 per student-athlete compared to Stony Brook’s $49,459.
Heilbron said when the Pac-12 renegotiated and received a new TV contract, it opened up “new streams of revenue that were very, very important to us” at Oregon State. At Stony Brook, Heilbron said the athletics department must rely more on fundraising, state money and institutional support.
“I do know the cost associated with being at the FBS are significant and the schools need to be willing to make that investment because it’s not worth it, to me, if you are just there to be there,” Heilbron said about a school’s decision to move to FBS. “But I do think every school has to do what’s in its best interest.”
xeyebrowx