Financing Athletic Departments

[BOJ]

Okay so I was reading something on the University of Maryland's website (here: http://www.umd.edu/Big_Ten/FAQs.cfm). In this little FAQ they state that the UMD athletic department is self sustaining, but it also discusses Maryland's athletic department is in a deficit (I was already aware they were and a big reason for the move was this), so the question is how does a supposed self-sustaining athletic department run a deficit without obtaining money from the general fund or subsidies elsewhere, and thus, are not actually self-sustaining?

 

[strigori]

If they are not taking from the University, it means they are taking out loans. So self financed, but with a debt burden. They had cut something like 7 sports before the B1G offer came in. B1G money is their cure all though.

 

[Mavric]

Or they had a cash reserve which they are using....

 

[BOJ]

If they are not taking from the University, it means they are taking out loans. So self financed, but with a debt burden. They had cut something like 7 sports before the B1G offer came in. B1G money is their cure all though.

Gotcha, I was thinking of something else as self-sustaining, like no need for outside financing at all. I figured the only other way was taking on some kind of debt, but then thought that would take them out of self-sustaining category.