UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

[dunbar]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

I'd like to hear your reasoning on that.

It's really not that difficult to understand. Any gripes people have with the athletic department are hockey-related, and come from individuals who only support the hockey program like it's the only program the university has. When you get caught up with all that negativity, it's tough to see the strides the department and University has made over the past five years. Are the on-field/court results what they could be? Of course not, but from a marketing and interest standpoint, the gap between hockey and the other revenue sports are narrowed tremendously. That also has a lot to do with the casual sports fan, who typically will have much more interest in tailgating and football rather than hockey.

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

What other sports actually produce revenue at UMaine.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Drew S.]

It's really not that difficult to understand. Any gripes people have with the athletic department are hockey-related, and come from individuals who only support the hockey program like it's the only program the university has. When you get caught up with all that negativity, it's tough to see the strides the department and University has made over the past five years. Are the on-field/court results what they could be? Of course not, but from a marketing and interest standpoint, the gap between hockey and the other revenue sports are narrowed tremendously. That also has a lot to do with the casual sports fan, who typically will have much more interest in tailgating and football rather than hockey.

Ha, has the interest narrowed because more people are watching football or less are watching hockey? I can't see where football has really gotten any better. The program has been solid since Cosgrove was hired. I'm pretty sure his best years were around 2000. Women's basketball has had a few decent seasons but who knows where they're headed with the unfortunate coaching situation. If you really think the athletic department as a whole is better off now than it was five years ago you are completely delusional.

[AMC]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Ha, has the interest narrowed because more people are watching football or less are watching hockey? I can't see where football has really gotten any better. The program has been solid since Cosgrove was hired. I'm pretty sure his best years were around 2000. Women's basketball has had a few decent seasons but who knows where they're headed with the unfortunate coaching situation. If you really think the athletic department as a whole is better off now than it was five years ago you are completely delusional.

I can't really speak to the financials of the department, or the marketing, or the ticket office (we gave up the hockey season tickets we'd had since 1984 three or four years ago and never heard a word from the ticket office or athletic department asking why).

But I can say, that based upon what the University of Maine is, that a few teams seem to be overachieving (football, field hockey), and everything else is about where it should be. This is a small public university in a poor, rural, aging, demographically undiverse state. Any expectation of having a top 20 team in ANY sport is delusional. The hockey only fans are upset because Maine isn't what it was on the ice, but frankly Maine probably shouldn't have ever been that to begin with. Shawn was a once in a lifetime genius. There may be three or four people alive who could build a program like Shawn did, and good luck identifying them or bringing them to Orono.

[dunbar]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

What other sports actually produce revenue at UMaine.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

If we're talking revenue, then football, men's and women's basketball, and baseball do. But let's be honest, no program on campus brings in more revenue than they cost (self-sufficient) because ALL programs are funded through the general university budget. 68% ($14.3M) of the "revenue" the athletic department reports comes from direct institutional support.

Keep in mind, this is a growing university. UM is now over 30% out of state students. Again, the largest incoming class in University history is coming in at the end of the month. The Flagship Match program is very appealing to those in other New England and Mid-Atlantic states (essentially students get their home state's tuition rate if they meet merit qualifications). These things make the University more competitive, in which the average incoming GPA and SAT score goes up, and up goes the US News and World Rankings.

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Hockey ticket sales used to produce more than the programs cost. Women's bball may have also. Football bleeds money

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[dunbar]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Hockey ticket sales used to produce more than the programs cost. Women's bball may have also. Football bleeds money

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Doubtful, considering the hockey program has a $2M budget and only brings in no more than $800K in ticket sales.

Here's a link to the full athletic department athletic statement from the 2012-13 year: http://staticweb.maine.edu/wp-conten...013.pdf?565a1d

Compare that to the most recent data, as well as data from other Division I schools: http://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/finances/

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Not sure 2012 2013 is season you want for hockey ticket revenue. Think maybe 2005 2006 would be closer to paying the programs way. Found it strange they show men's, women's bball and football revenue but not hockey.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[dunbar]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Not sure 2012 2013 is season you want for hockey ticket revenue. Think maybe 2005 2006 would be closer to paying the programs way. Found it strange they show men's, women's bball and football revenue but not hockey.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

That's part of the NCAA reporting criteria. Hockey isn't considered to be a major sport, partially because only ~30 (of 230) Division I public schools have a program.

[dunbar]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

May of spoken too soon on the future of FOMH, rumor is that everything is being consolidated into the new Alfond Fund Ambassadors program.

[Drew S.]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

May of spoken too soon on the future of FOMH, rumor is that everything is being consolidated into the new Alfond Fund Ambassadors program.

Very sad news. A lot of people put a lot of effort into FOMH and it must be hard for them to stomach today's news.

Did anyone go to the golf tournament today? Any news on the the team?

[Drew S.]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

http://bangordailynews.com/2017/08/0...osters-groups/

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

http://bangordailynews.com/2017/08/0...osters-groups/

It is TOO BAD, and you can bet they will lose fans and small donors. Sign of the times, I know I won't be donating anymore and my donations or season ticket money won't dent them at all...except it will fill my pockets with only the BAD part of missing the awesome people of FOMH and the die-hard hockey fan>>>Maine one of the better if not the best fan base....and sadly they are going/going........................GONE 4-ever.

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

http://bangordailynews.com/2017/08/0...osters-groups/

Hockey booster says players won't show up for an all in one event like they would for individual events, Cosgrove confirms it by saying football players didn't show in the numbers of previous years. But somehow it was better.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2nd verse same as the first 2016-2017

Hockey booster says players won't show up for an all in one event like they would for individual events, Cosgrove confirms it by saying football players didn't show in the numbers of previous years. But somehow it was better.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Yes indeed that was a Laugh....how's inserting foot in mouth....unreal, but then you get the picture.