Raiders' tourney run lifts league's bottom line
Mar 9, 2007 0:59:57 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Mar 9, 2007 0:59:57 GMT -5
www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/wsu/2007/03/09/ddn030907horizoncash.html
Raiders' tourney run lifts league's bottom line
With two teams likely in the NCAA field instead of one, Horizon League will make $1.4 million more.
By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer
Friday, March 09, 2007
The Horizon League, as far as the NCAA's method for distributing men's basketball tournament money is concerned, is already in the second round.
Because Wright State's Horizon League tournament championship is likely to give the conference (along with Butler) two NCAA tournament participants, it will earn at least $1.4 million more over the next six years than if it had a single entry.
And that's without even playing a game.
"This is a nice boost for us as a league," said Mike Cusack, the Wright State athletic director. "It really is interesting how much just one more game can help."
The NCAA uses a system based on number of games played to distribute the money from its Basketball Fund, which this year will give out $132.6 million to the 31 Division I conferences for their teams' past performance and participation in the tournament.
Tournament teams are awarded a "unit" for each game they play. Every spring, the NCAA totals the number of units conferences have gained in the past six tournaments and multiplies the units by that year's unit price, which this year is $176,864. The unit price goes up 8 percent each year.
For instance, because Horizon League teams played in 13 NCAA tournament games from 2001-06, the conference will receive about $2.3 million this year from the Basketball Fund (13 times $176,864). Each game played in this year's tournament is worth $1.4 million from 2008-13.
Many conferences rely heavily on NCAA revenue distribution. In 2004-05, about half ($1.8 million) of the Horizon League's $3.5 million in revenue came directly from the NCAA, according to tax records.
"As a league, we budget conservatively for one unit each year," Cusack said. "Whatever we get on top of that is a huge help to the league."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.
Raiders' tourney run lifts league's bottom line
With two teams likely in the NCAA field instead of one, Horizon League will make $1.4 million more.
By Kyle Nagel
Staff Writer
Friday, March 09, 2007
The Horizon League, as far as the NCAA's method for distributing men's basketball tournament money is concerned, is already in the second round.
Because Wright State's Horizon League tournament championship is likely to give the conference (along with Butler) two NCAA tournament participants, it will earn at least $1.4 million more over the next six years than if it had a single entry.
And that's without even playing a game.
"This is a nice boost for us as a league," said Mike Cusack, the Wright State athletic director. "It really is interesting how much just one more game can help."
The NCAA uses a system based on number of games played to distribute the money from its Basketball Fund, which this year will give out $132.6 million to the 31 Division I conferences for their teams' past performance and participation in the tournament.
Tournament teams are awarded a "unit" for each game they play. Every spring, the NCAA totals the number of units conferences have gained in the past six tournaments and multiplies the units by that year's unit price, which this year is $176,864. The unit price goes up 8 percent each year.
For instance, because Horizon League teams played in 13 NCAA tournament games from 2001-06, the conference will receive about $2.3 million this year from the Basketball Fund (13 times $176,864). Each game played in this year's tournament is worth $1.4 million from 2008-13.
Many conferences rely heavily on NCAA revenue distribution. In 2004-05, about half ($1.8 million) of the Horizon League's $3.5 million in revenue came directly from the NCAA, according to tax records.
"As a league, we budget conservatively for one unit each year," Cusack said. "Whatever we get on top of that is a huge help to the league."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com.