Article on athletic department budget
http://michiganradio.org/post/pressure-builds-michigan-football-athleti…
I had problems with Bill Martin as well, but this quote by him really says it all: ''Just because you can charge them more, doesn't mean you should.''
Staff salaries, for example, have grown from $34 million to $49 million under Brandon, including a 62-percent increase in administrator compensation. The athletic department’s spending on “Marketing, promotions and ticketing,” and “Professional travel and conference dues,” have tripled to almost three million. But perhaps most surprising is the $2.6 million the department now spends on “Hosting, Food and Special Events,” an increase of almost 500-percent
In other words, the additional millions the fans are now being forced to pay are not going to the students on the field, but the suits in the building – including almost a million dollars a year for the Athletic Director himself, three times the salary of his predecessor.
Hey Brandon, why don't you take some of your salary and put it back into the football budget where it belongs. Last time I checked the amount we spend on the football program compared to osu, texas, and others was significantly less.
December 7th, 2013 at 9:04 AM ^
Is the increase for more support staff needed? I wouldn't think everyone just received a 62% pay increase though some may have been given a pay increase to match the going rate of their position. In that case it is needed... for any and all.
For me the questions are.. Is the ad financially living within the budgets set? Are they making more money than they are spending? Are building for the success of the athletic programs now and in the future? And last, with the expansion of the athletic campus and all the related projects have they been able to meet the financial burden of those projects and continue to sustain for the future.
The obvious to that is yes. It has to continue as well. I am sure that Brandon and company see what concerns the donors/alumni/ticket holders have. I would bet they will be quick to back off it they reach the tipping point.
Something was posted on another board via an alumni function last spring where Dave Brandon spoke. At length he spoke about the goals of winning the bigten, bcs and national title in football as the best ways to increase revenue and the last one by far has the biggest impact. He cited the effect it had on other universities that have won football national championships and how much it increased cash flow into the athletic department of those schools. So, that is the goal.....