Dave Begal tears into Milwaukee Panther basketball

[Mark Miller]

It was a brutal article. Seems like he has a vendetta against the folks at Milwaukee.

[TheSultan]

The biggest problem they have with a new facility is simply the cost. Unlike residence halls, where you can finance the construction with the future room and board charges, you don't have a steady stream of income to pay off an arena unless you pay with student fees. That would generate quite the protest among a largely apathetic student base.

[Gato78]

Begal is right about UWM basketball. They have to be losing money--probably a lot of money. Where are the anti-tax conservatives? (For that matter, when will the anti-tax crowd start looking at the cost of the UW System in general?)Seriously. Has anyone done an analysis of how much money is lost on the UWM athletics department? They should consider DIII or make some drastic changes. I hate that Dave Begal is the author--he is a clown. But on this issue, I think he is right.

[MUMac]

It was a brutal article. Seems like he has a vendetta against the folks at Milwaukee.

Is this begal's new Bart Starr? I never cared for him and always considered him to be a blowhard and an A-hole.

[MUBasketball]

They should consider DIII or make some drastic changes.

So you suggest a majority of D1 programs drop to DIII as well? That's my whole point in all this...why UWM? Reading this article, you'd think all 350+ D1 programs are just thriving, while UWM is the lone one that is struggling. Hardly the case.

Seriously, does that guy pull in a paycheck with articles like this? Would hate to see what other gems he writes.

[Gato78]

No. What I am saying is that the financial losses have to be measured with the good the sport does for the university. In this case, I am willing to bet UWM is bleeding money with almost no return. I was really confining my argument to UWM. UWGB does tremendously with its program. People actually go to games in GB and there is an avid following. My expectation is that program runs at a loss, or close to break even, but there is a return on investment. My guess is that Whitewater gets more out of its DIII program at far less expense than does UWM. My additional thought is that UWM, if it is going to be a D1 program, needs to step up with money--facilities primarily. Its current situation is ridiculous.

[Nukem2]

Begel is still around, wow. He was brutal back in the day.

[TheSultan]

No. What I am saying is that the financial losses have to be measured with the good the sport does for the university. In this case, I am willing to bet UWM is bleeding money with almost no return. I was really confining my argument to UWM. UWGB does tremendously with its program. People actually go to games in GB and there is an avid following. My expectation is that program runs at a loss, or close to break even, but there is a return on investment. My guess is that Whitewater gets more out of its DIII program at far less expense than does UWM. My additional thought is that UWM, if it is going to be a D1 program, needs to step up with money--facilities primarily. Its current situation is ridiculous.

I think you are exaggerating the interest in UWGB basketball. According to this document, UWM outdrew UWGB (4,154 v. 3,064).

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_bask...on%2010-18.pdf

[Gato78]

Do you believe UWM's numbers?

I think you are exaggerating the interest in UWGB basketball. According to this document, UWM outdrew UWGB (4,154 v. 3,064).

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_bask...on%2010-18.pdf

[TheSultan]

Do you believe UWM's numbers?

If I don't believe UWM's then I have no reason to believe UWGB's. But even if I believe UWGB's, that isn't very impressive for a D1 program. As I said earlier, both programs are essentially the same - relatively poorly supported programs without a lot of resources, whose coaches would leave for elsewhere at a moments notice. UWM has been up when UWGB was down...and now vice versa. In a decade from now, it could all change.