An Athletic Director Thread

[jdcatty]

Ninety percent of the people on this board seem to assume Walmart, J.B. Hunt, and Tyson should carry us.  Always the first named sources when the subject of money comes up.  Of course, those are public companies traded on the stock exchange so there are limitations on what they can actually do.  It's actually the owners or founders of those companies that really donate the money (not including the advertising money, like patches on jerseys, emblems on the field, etc.)

No one ever asks why the owners of other big Arkansas companies don't "step up," as the saying on here often goes. Where are the Stephens's , Simmons Bank company people, the Everett Car Dealership people, the McClarty's, the Centennial Bank people, the Bank OzK people, and any one of a dozen other Arkansas based companies that could be named? Many others fall in this category, the Rutledges (First Security bank).

Well first,many of them already give in a big way, like the Stephens family.  They just don't want the publicity. But not all.  Seems to me like that level of contributor would be a huge target, but we never hear about them. 

I just don't think we ought to be sitting around waiting for Walmart, Tyson, and JB Hunt to bail us out.

[DirkPiggler]

Ninety percent of the people on this board seem to assume Walmart, J.B. Hunt, and Tyson should carry us.  Always the first named sources when the subject of money comes up.  Of course, those are public companies traded on the stock exchange so there are limitations on what they can actually do.  It's actually the owners or founders of those companies that really donate the money (not including the advertising money, like patches on jerseys, emblems on the field, etc.)

No one ever asks why the owners of other big Arkansas companies don't "step up," as the saying on here often goes. Where are the Stephens's , Simmons Bank company people, the Everett Car Dealership people, the McClarty's, the Centennial Bank people, the Bank OzK people, and any one of a dozen other Arkansas based companies that could be named? Many others fall in this category, the Rutledges (First Security bank).

Well first,many of them already give in a big way, like the Stephens family.  They just don't want the publicity. But not all.  Seems to me like that level of contributor would be a huge target, but we never hear about them. 

I just don't think we ought to be sitting around waiting for Walmart, Tyson, and JB Hunt to bail us out.

That's exactly why Ole Miss has passed us.   They didn't rely on those corps because they have none.   They already had the donor network in place from before when it was done under the table.  By comparison we always relied on people tied to those corporations. 

[The Whyte Boar]

It also seems that every other program in the SEC when it comes to coaches and NIL is commit the money then find the money whereas Arkansas is find the money then commit what we have.

Everyone else in the SEC is driving Escalades and G Wagons and Arkansas is sitting ting there shaking its head and clucking tis tongue at them about how much debt they are in. 

Silverfield said as much the other day in his interview with that Memphis station.  He said that despite what was said about increasing NIL, the budgt for this past year was set and when he was hired and he wasn't allowed to increase it.

We have always been penny wise and pound foolish. 

[animal]

I can understand having a "budget" but it still just seems like amateur hour compared to whatever the fuck the rest of the SEC is doing. That's the real tell here. We aren't keeping up with South Carolina, Kentucky, Vandy, among others. This state when united could be doing much better but that's going to have to come from many more than just the big companies and that's always been the rub here. We should have been called the "Show-Me" state because everyone wants to see some food on our plate before we pay the bill. 

The Biddy story really doesn't track with me. I would think going outside the state wouldn't deter in-state companies from getting butt hurt. It would make it worse. You open it up because you either understand what the market should bare or wanted to set a new standard...not rent out the naming rights at a poors price. It was a missed opportunity to someone like BankOZK. To me it just shows that these companies are tightening the belt and not willing to piss away money as easy as maybe they would have years ago. Naming rights may not be the boon it was perceived to be years ago. 

Correction on a prior poster's comment....unless I'm wrong here but Centennial Bank is now based in Florida and has been for probably 5 to 7 years. 

[DirkPiggler]

It also seems that every other program in the SEC when it comes to coaches and NIL is commit the money then find the money whereas Arkansas is find the money then commit what we have.

Everyone else in the SEC is driving Escalades and G Wagons and Arkansas is sitting ting there shaking its head and clucking tis tongue at them about how much debt they are in. 

Silverfield said as much the other day in his interview with that Memphis station.  He said that despite what was said about increasing NIL, the budgt for this past year was set and when he was hired and he wasn't allowed to increase it.

We have always been penny wise and pound foolish. 

The numbers they give us just don't make sense...ever. 

When we were first clamoring for Pittman to be fired in 2023 they told us that we couldn't afford the $15MM buyout, which was to be paid $3MM/year over five years.  This was at the same time where the SEC had just signed a new media rights deal that was adding about $30MM in additional revenue per year for each school.  It didn't make sense then and it doesn't make sense now that they couldn't scrape up 10% of the new money coming in to keep the program from falling off the face of the earth.

I've heard and read in multiple places but haven't yet found confirmation of this, but supposedly one of the things we did after Covid was start paying off Long's Folly aka the north end zone project ahead of time.  If true that's yet another sign of mismanagement...you don't pay off lower interest bonds or loans at a time when rates are higher.  Again with the disclaimer that the previous anecdote may not be true, but if it was it was even sillier for Yurachek to act superior to other schools who borrowed against future media rights payments to kick start NIL or solve their coaching problems when he was sacrificing both current and future success to make such a shortsighted decision in retiring the debt early.

[The Whyte Boar]

I think our funding structure is mired in the 1990s.  We have to pay coaches with donations, not athletic department funds mostly.  And our fundraising is set up for that and not NIL.  In fact NIL directly competes with the Razorback Foundation.

We need someone to take the reins and make the changes on the state political level to make us competitive.

[DirkPiggler]

I think our funding structure is mired in the 1990s.  We have to pay coaches with donations, not athletic department funds mostly.  And our fundraising is set up for that and not NIL.  In fact NIL directly competes with the Razorback Foundation.

We need someone to take the reins and make the changes on the state political level to make us competitive.

This is why I have suggested for a while now that we should merge the Foundation back into the athletic department.  We could likely save some money on administrative expenses for one.  But the main reason is that it would get all fundraising back under one umbrella.  Donors shouldn't have to give money to the RF for tickets, then to another entity for NIL.  And NIL contributions should go towards ticket priority if they haven't made that change already (if they have I haven't seen it).   

[The Whyte Boar]

This is why I have suggested for a while now that we should merge the Foundation back into the athletic department.  We could likely save some money on administrative expenses for one.  But the main reason is that it would get all fundraising back under one umbrella.  Donors shouldn't have to give money to the RF for tickets, then to another entity for NIL.  And NIL contributions should go towards ticket priority if they haven't made that change already (if they have I haven't seen it).   

This is why I have suggested for a while now that we should merge the Foundation back into the athletic department.  We could likely save some money on administrative expenses for one.  But the main reason is that it would get all fundraising back under one umbrella.  Donors shouldn't have to give money to the RF for tickets, then to another entity for NIL.  And NIL contributions should go towards ticket priority if they haven't made that change already (if they have I haven't seen it).   

You know how many fiefdoms would be sacrificed in that?

[DirkPiggler]

You know how many fiefdoms would be sacrificed in that?

Probably just the right amount needed to clean things up.

[SwahiliSteve]

I don't think the board will fire HY. They don't want more work. They'll just keep him and maintain the stayus quo and we will continue to suck in football:

[jdcatty]

I can understand having a "budget" but it still just seems like amateur hour compared to whatever the fuck the rest of the SEC is doing. That's the real tell here. We aren't keeping up with South Carolina, Kentucky, Vandy, among others. This state when united could be doing much better but that's going to have to come from many more than just the big companies and that's always been the rub here. We should have been called the "Show-Me" state because everyone wants to see some food on our plate before we pay the bill.

The Biddy story really doesn't track with me. I would think going outside the state wouldn't deter in-state companies from getting butt hurt. It would make it worse. You open it up because you either understand what the market should bare or wanted to set a new standard...not rent out the naming rights at a poors price. It was a missed opportunity to someone like BankOZK. To me it just shows that these companies are tightening the belt and not willing to piss away money as easy as maybe they would have years ago. Naming rights may not be the boon it was perceived to be years ago.

Correction on a prior poster's comment....unless I'm wrong here but Centennial Bank is now based in Florida and has been for probably 5 to 7 years.

I believe you are right about Centennial Bank, but I was under the impression the founders of that company still lived in Arkansas.  Could be wrong about that, too.

[Razornoz]

I believe you are right about Centennial Bank, but I was under the impression the founders of that company still lived in Arkansas.  Could be wrong about that, too.

See Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro. ASU is where his $ goes. Pretty sure the Everett's contribute quite a bit to UA. I can't speak to the others.

[HogOfWar]

I don't think the board will fire HY. They don't want more work. They'll just keep him and maintain the stayus quo and we will continue to suck in football:

If we beat Tulsa, I agree.

However, someone lit a fire under the board's President to say they are looking into the issue. Not expecting changes, but someone was pissed off after the Houston loss.

[SwahiliSteve]

If we beat Tulsa, I agree.

However, someone lit a fire under the board's President to say they are looking into the issue. Not expecting changes, but someone was pissed off after the Houston loss.

I don't see us beating Tulsa this week either

[HogOfWar]

I don't see us beating Tulsa this week either

I don't care if we do or don't.

[SwahiliSteve]

What is the price of a ticket this week for Tulsa? Free?

[arreferee]

Correction on a prior poster's comment....unless I'm wrong here but Centennial Bank is now based in Florida and has been for probably 5 to 7 years.

I believe you are right about Centennial Bank, but I was under the impression the founders of that company still lived in Arkansas.  Could be wrong about that, too.

See Centennial Bank Stadium in Jonesboro. ASU is where his $ goes. Pretty sure the Everett's contribute quite a bit to UA. I can't speak to the others.

Centennial Bank bought a group of banks in Florida a while back, but their headquarters are still in Conway.  And, the guy who started it still lives in Conway.  He's still the CEO and Chairman.  I'm pretty sure he's from Jonesboro and graduated from ASU...and still gives lots of money to them. 

[jdcatty]

Centennial Bank bought a group of banks in Florida a while back, but their headquarters are still in Conway.  And, the guy who started it still lives in Conway.  He's still the CEO and Chairman.  I'm pretty sure he's from Jonesboro and graduated from ASU...and still gives lots of money to them. 

Yeah, forgot the Centennial Bank-ASU connection.

I'm sure many of the folks behind the companies I mentioned are loyal donors.  But I also believe there are other of those mid-level (as I will call them) folks who need to help.

[The Whyte Boar]

Germaine to this thread...

In just a quick perusal, it would appear we aren't as poor as we let on.
https://x.com/nilnomics/status/2102011165710717321?s=46

[Barton Fink]

If that's based on rev sharing distribution, I have no problem with it. I'd rather compete for a title in hoops than hitting a ceiling of winning 8-9 games in football. I may be in the minority.