🏈 Tennessee reinvesting $18M into the Athletic Department over 3 years

[planomateo]

And Dooley's staff's buyout is reportedly between $5M-$9M. How long do we maintain "Bryant Denny North" in Knoxville...

Per UT chancellor Jimmy Cheek:

As we face a transition in our football program, I want to make it clear that we support a mission of comprehensive excellence in our athletics department. Under the leadership of Vice Chancellor and Athletics Director Dave Hart, we will do the things required to return our team to national prominence. As we begin our search for a new coach, I have assured Dave that he will have the support and resources he needs to be successful.

For the next three years, the money the athletics department has contributed to the campus will be reinvested in the athletics department. Relieving athletics of this commitment will allow the department to add an average of $6 million per year to its bottom line for a total of $18 million over three years.

The money was committed under different circumstances and we now need to allow athletics to use these dollars to attain financial stability and invest in the future.

Most of this money has been used for scholarships and fellowships. We will continue to honor these commitments, primarily through private gifts. Let me emphasize, we will not reduce our commitment to students.

I know that winning championships and competing at the highest level lifts the national profile of the University of Tennessee. As chancellor, I am committed to winning both on the field and in the classroom.

 

[BamaFan615]

This has been talked about for a while up here in Tennessee, but evidently there is a HUGE rift between the Academic Departments in Knoxville and the Athletic Department. They're completely split as to how the revenue (or lack there of, as of late) should be split and therefore, spent.

Let's be honest - Tennessee isn't going to stay down forever. But picking a coach that can lead you to prominence and actually getting him to hop on board with your program (specifically one that's in the dumps) can be a pretty tricky process. Hell, we know all too well. I could rattle off plenty of other traditional powers that have struggled to find coaches that can bring them back to where they want to be.

While having $6 million to spend per year over the next 3 years will be a nice start for Tennessee, but let's put this in perspective here - the next Nick Saban doesn't come a dime a dozen - even if you do have money to spend.

 

[jdpas29]

they should have kept the great pumpkin. i don't think it will ever get much better for them than he had made it.

 

[TerryP]

The problem I see is these figures don't make with their own reports.

TRANSFERS TO KNOXVILLE CAMPUS Total ($)
Volunteer Scholarships 1,000,000
Graduate Fellowships 800,000
Student Success Center 200,000
Band Scholarships 75,000
Discretionary Funds 1,875,000
TOTAL 3,950,000