Growing Gap in NCAA Payouts

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

This lengthy article is well worth a read:

Money Madness: AP Analysis Shows Growing Gap in NCAA Payouts – Ralph D. Russo, Associated Press/The Washington Post – March 26, 2019

Every year, millions of dollars are distributed to 32 Division I conferences by the NCAA based on what teams get into the tournament and how far they advance. Last year it was $216 million.

The 2018 tournament brought in $844.3 million in television and marketing rights, the vast majority from a contract with CBS and Turner Sports to televise the games. That deal grows annually, its latest extension worth $8.8 billion over eight years, starting in 2024. From 1997-2018, the Big Ten Conference has been paid the most at $340 million.

Since massive realignment among college conference in 2012-2014, Power Five schools from the Atlantic Coast, Southeastern, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 have earned even more under the system of “units,” the term used by the NCAA to tally the performance payouts.

The Power Five conferences earned 47.5 percent of NCAA Tournament units from 2002-13. From 2014-18, those same conferences — which also rake in billions from media rights deals, conference networks and postseason football — earned 55.3 percent of NCAA Tournament units.

Some of that has come at the expense of the Big East, which was picked apart during realignment and reconfigured from 16 teams to 10. Still, with a 12-year, $500 million television contract with Fox and no major college football to support, the Big East is in much better shape than others outside the Power Five.

2019 Conference NET Rankings – Warren Nolan

1.Big 12
2. Big Ten
3. SEC
4. Big East
5. ACC
6. American Athletic
7. Pac-12

From the perspective of the Power Five conference schools, the Big East and American Athletic Conference are squatters on their patch and are taking NCAA Tournament ‘at large’ bids which should rightfully go to more P5 teams. The Big East and American Athletic Conference are also getting way too many commitments from Top 200 HS basketball prospects. Moreover, state schools don’t like private universities in the first place because private universities attract too many top scholars and get too much revenue in research grants and contracts – both bad for business if you’re a state school.

In years to come, the Power Five conference schools (and TV networks/platforms which support them) will continue their subtle assault on the Big East and American Athletic Conference. Any suggestions that the Power Five conference schools will not act in their own best interests will not be entertained.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

NCAA Tournament Money: Big Ten Gets Most, SEC Sets Own High – Ralph D. Russo, Associated Press/The Washington Post – April 1, 2019

There is no more money to be earned in this NCAA Tournament through the payout system, which stops once the Final Four is reached. The total payout will be spread over six years with the first payment in 2020 and subsequent payments likely to rise slightly each year, boosting conference earnings.

All 32 Division I conferences are guaranteed at least one unit each, then more money is doled out based on at-large bids and wins during the first two weeks of the tournament. The NCAA sets a value each year for units — $282,100 in 2020 — and distributes annual payouts based on results from the previous six tournaments.

• Big Ten - 21 units (worth at least $35.5 million)

• Atlantic Coast Conference - 20 units (worth at least $33.8 million)

• SEC - 19 units (worth at least $32.1 million)

• Big 12 - 13 units (worth at least $22 million)

• Pac-12 - 7 units (worth at least $11.8 million)

• American Athletic Conference - 7 units (worth at least $11.8 million) with four teams in the field and Houston reaching the Sweet 16.

The West Coast Conference and Big East each earned five units. Gonzaga accounted for four of the WCC’s units — worth at least $8.4 million. For most conferences, unit revenue is part of the equally shared distribution among its member schools. But Gonzaga has a deal with the WCC to keep a greater share of the units it earns.

[gtmoBlue]

Bump.

Can we pin this to stay at the top. AP updates periodically.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Since 2014, our total units are at the same level as the PAC (60 units); IMO, the ACC is presently at its own level (117), while the B1G (97), Big 12 (88) and SEC (82) are on that next tier. The following tier would be the AAC (34), A10 (31) and the WCC (26). Pretty alarming projections for the MWC (16).

IMO, these projections are based on which programs have the most power programs. The ACC has UNC, Duke, Louisville, Duke and Syracuse, all capable of consistently having deep runs in March. The B1G has Michigan State, but has had a ton of help from Michigan and Wisconsin (time will tell if Indiana can get back to its consistent levels, and I fully expect Ohio State under Holtmann to get them back at a high level as well). The Big 12 has been immensely helped by programs other than Kansas that have had Final Four runs the past few years (Texas Tech, Kansas State, Oklahoma). The SEC, under Tranghese and Slive, have really reinvested their schools into men's basketball with their coaching hires, so their success in March is not really surprising either.

Unfortunately, other than Villanova (and Xavier's Elite Eight last year), none of our programs have had a deep run yet. There can be a plethora of arguments why that is, but these past few days I think one of those reasons has been our current cycle/collection of coaches. Jay Wright is on his own elite level in the conference. However, our schools have made the deliberate effort in hiring coaches with little-to-no head coaching experience (Wojo, Steele, Jordan, Ewing, Mullin, Holtmann) in the past several years. Leitao was a former head coach, but hadn't been a head coach in college in years. I think one of the many next growth areas of our schools should be to hire current successful head coaches from other programs in order to maintain a high-level of on-court success. Hiring head coaches with little-to-no head coaching experience is a guaranteed several-year process, and - especially in the case of hiring them young - they will undoubtedly move to bigger jobs down the road. The SEC has begun to follow this model, and it has worked wonderfully. For Texas Tech, Kansas State and Oklahoma, they each hired a current head coach that had success at other programs (and each had a deep tournament run at one point) and have enjoyed a similar level of success as well.

[stever20]

Like I said on the other board, the NCAA money at the P level is pretty meaningless.... Yes it's a difference between Big 12 and Pac 12 of a million a year(everyone else in between) per school. But the TV money difference is far larger and far more important.

For the Big East, this year really sucks because they had the 6 unit year in 2014 that would be coming off after next year. So if they had gotten their normal 12 units this year, and then 12 more next year, they'd have been up around 75 units. Instead this years 5 will be hanging around for the nex 5 years....

[DudeAnon]

Money always wins in the end. If Big East cant keep up $$$ with the p5 then we will be a 2nd tier conference. Some would say thats already the case having some of the best head coaches poached from the conference.

There really is very little we can do or control. Expansion is the only tool we have and I wish we would use it to add strong programs with potential to elevate the League. We should add Dayton and VCU now. Then leave the door open for UConn and tell wait on SLU.

Expanding doesnt guarantee success nor does not expanding. But personally I think those programs would elevate the brand as a hoops centric conference.

[Hoopfan]

Money always wins in the end. If Big East cant keep up $$$ with the p5 then we will be a 2nd tier conference. Some would say thats already the case having some of the best head coaches poached from the conference.

There really is very little we can do or control. Expansion is the only tool we have and I wish we would use it to add strong programs with potential to elevate the League. We should add Dayton and VCU now. Then leave the door open for UConn and tell wait on SLU.

Expanding doesnt guarantee success nor does not expanding. But personally I think those programs would elevate the brand as a hoops centric conference.

Schools will get poached no matter what conference if they arnt a Duke, UNC, etc. Look at the movement and coaches being speculated about moving from one P5 to another school.

[pc5151]

Its amazing how much of a loser Stever is that he has to post something negative about the Big East on every thread. Its pathetic really. Stever, F off once and for all, no one wants you on this board and you are ruining it.

[billyjack]

Looking at what's happened:

In the last 5 seasons (since Buzz bailed):

- only 2 of our schools have had coaches poached.
- 3 of our schools forced their coach out.
- 5 of our schools have had the same coach.

Wright, Willard, McDermott and Cooley have turned down multiple "power 5" suitors.

[Burrito]

The SEC has really upgraded its coaches over the past few years. Buzz Williams might be the next one hired at Texas A&M.
On the other hand, the Big East has lost some of its better coaches the past few years.

Hopefully, the Big East has a better year next year. 9 of the 10 teams did make the NCAA or NIT this year. And Depaul is playing for the CBI championship.