NamelessHusker
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[SIZE=14pt]Husker budget shows 10 percent growth[/SIZE]
BY TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star
The Nebraska athletic department is projecting revenues to grow by 10 percent in 2005-06.
No, athletic director Steve Pederson isn't banking on a Bowl Championship Series appearance in football for the Huskers. Or an NCAA Tournament bid for the men's basketball program.
The athletic department never budgets for those things.
Instead, NU is counting on revenues from a seventh home football game and proceeds from the department's new $22 million, eight-year contract with apparel provider adidas to cover a $4 million bill related to the North Stadium Improvement Project and utility costs expected to skyrocket 31 percent this academic year.
"We increased the budget to remain a competitive, strong program," Pederson said, "but we didn't have to increase the (football) ticket prices to be able to do that.
"Certainly having the extra home football game makes a dramatic difference."
With only six home football games in 2004, Nebraska spent roughly $56 million to field teams in 23 sports. Officials anticipate ending the fiscal year with a revenue surplus of around $75,000.
The department's new $62.6 million budget unveiled for reporters Thursday includes the biggest increases in revenues and spending seen at Nebraska in several years.
Salaries, which represent almost one-third of the department's budget, are up an average of 3 percent compared with a year ago, the most aggressive increase in Pederson's tenure.
The majority of the head coaches saw increases of 5 percent or more, headlined by a contract extension to baseball coach Mike Anderson that represents a 76 percent increase over last year.
Nine department administrators will each be paid more than $100,000 this year, with Pederson set to make $363,825, a 4 percent increase over 2004-05.
At $364,088, football coach Bill Callahan's salary just surpasses that of the school's AD.
Spending forecasts for recruiting and travel remains relatively flat under the new budget, which easily ranks as the largest in the Big 12 North Division.
In recent years, some Nebraska sports were asked to make cuts in spending.
"They've done a great job of tightening," Pederson said, "and now they can maintain what they have."
Additional cuts would likely have been necessary without the seventh home game.
Ticket sales are expected to account for $24.3 million of Nebraska's budget. The Huskers routinely sell out home games in football, volleyball and baseball, and without scheduling additional home games, opportunities for significant increases in ticket sales rest in only men's and women's basketball.
Beyond ticket sales, Pederson said he is encouraged at seeing more and more people giving to the program on an annual basis. Revenues from licensing and sponsorships are also on the increase.
Link
BY TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star
The Nebraska athletic department is projecting revenues to grow by 10 percent in 2005-06.
No, athletic director Steve Pederson isn't banking on a Bowl Championship Series appearance in football for the Huskers. Or an NCAA Tournament bid for the men's basketball program.
The athletic department never budgets for those things.
Instead, NU is counting on revenues from a seventh home football game and proceeds from the department's new $22 million, eight-year contract with apparel provider adidas to cover a $4 million bill related to the North Stadium Improvement Project and utility costs expected to skyrocket 31 percent this academic year.
"We increased the budget to remain a competitive, strong program," Pederson said, "but we didn't have to increase the (football) ticket prices to be able to do that.
"Certainly having the extra home football game makes a dramatic difference."
With only six home football games in 2004, Nebraska spent roughly $56 million to field teams in 23 sports. Officials anticipate ending the fiscal year with a revenue surplus of around $75,000.
The department's new $62.6 million budget unveiled for reporters Thursday includes the biggest increases in revenues and spending seen at Nebraska in several years.
Salaries, which represent almost one-third of the department's budget, are up an average of 3 percent compared with a year ago, the most aggressive increase in Pederson's tenure.
The majority of the head coaches saw increases of 5 percent or more, headlined by a contract extension to baseball coach Mike Anderson that represents a 76 percent increase over last year.
Nine department administrators will each be paid more than $100,000 this year, with Pederson set to make $363,825, a 4 percent increase over 2004-05.
At $364,088, football coach Bill Callahan's salary just surpasses that of the school's AD.
Spending forecasts for recruiting and travel remains relatively flat under the new budget, which easily ranks as the largest in the Big 12 North Division.
In recent years, some Nebraska sports were asked to make cuts in spending.
"They've done a great job of tightening," Pederson said, "and now they can maintain what they have."
Additional cuts would likely have been necessary without the seventh home game.
Ticket sales are expected to account for $24.3 million of Nebraska's budget. The Huskers routinely sell out home games in football, volleyball and baseball, and without scheduling additional home games, opportunities for significant increases in ticket sales rest in only men's and women's basketball.
Beyond ticket sales, Pederson said he is encouraged at seeing more and more people giving to the program on an annual basis. Revenues from licensing and sponsorships are also on the increase.
Link
