The state of the Eastern Michigan University Athletics Department was discussed during the faculty senate budget forum Tuesday by Howard Bunsis, an Eastern Michigan University accounting professor.
Bunsis talked about the athletics department and the amount of money generated by game guarantees.
Between $1 and $2 million is budgeted for games played at Bowl Championship Series Schools such as the University of Michigan, Ohio State University and Michigan State University.
“We get paid to play those games, get paid to get beat and that’s fine,” Bunsis said. “What’s not fine is those game guarantees are not a part of the general fund.”
The percent of costs for athletics supported by the university is “too high,” according to Bunsis. Direct Institutional Support — which contains general fund support, and other items—along with student fees, account for 83 percent of athletic expenses being paid by EMU, Bunsis said.
“That’s high,” he said. “Our game receipts are close to 0 and when you look over the last five years, it’s gotten worse.”
Bunsis said although comparing U of M sports to EMU’s isn’t fair, U of M athletics gets relatively little direct institutional support and no student fee money.
“U of M sports is part of the culture here [in Washtenaw County],” he said. “We are not a part of the culture, never will be. We have regents that really believe that if we’re good at football, enrollment will increase. I’m not against sports, but that is not why students come here.”
According to a NCAA document entitled, 2010 Division I Football Largest Average Attendance Increase from Previous Year,
Eastern is number four on the list.
The document shows EMU’s 2009 average of attendance as 5,016 people. The 2010 average is 15,885 people—a 10,869 difference.
During their regular meeting on Sept.16 2008, the Board of Regents approved a 10-year contract granting Pepsi Cola campus-wide beverage rights, according to a university release.
The contract provides EMU with $5.2 million in combined sponsorships, football ticket purchases, vending machines, product cost savings and promotional items over the ten year contract. The contract lasts through Sept. 16, 2018.
The NCAA membership requirements for football attendance said each Division I team much have a 15,000 average of actual or paid attendance for all home football games, because of these rules, Pepsi is actually allowed to purchase tickets without breaking any rules.
Even though it’s legal, EMU junior Michael Barnes said he doesn’t think it’s right.
“Instead of letting some big company buy these tickets, EMU should try and get students to be actually interested in
games by getting better coaches,” he said. “No one wants to see a losing team.”
Bunsis addressed the controversial idea of dropping to Division II to save money and he said that is the “worst option.”
“This is definitely a loser,” he said. “I guarantee that’s a losing option. If you want to save money, drop the whole damn thing.”
EMU sophomore Erica Robinson said she doesn’t think dropping the entire athletics department is smart or viable.
“I know our teams may not win as much as we want, but I just can’t imagine a university with no athletics department,”
she said.
