Dec. 23, 2004
- Ferentz to ESPN: Sounds corny, but Iowa is home
- Iowa and LSU: Side-by-side in final BCS list
- UI, Ferentz ink contract extension
- Big Ten Championship merchandise
- Bowl game ticket information
- Listen to the bowl game online!
- Watch Kirk next Tuesday live!
- Purchase your Hawkeye tickets online
- Listen to the Hawkeyes on XM Radio
The 2004 Big Ten Conference champion Iowa Hawkeyes, their coaches and families, and support staff left the chill of Iowa City Thursday on a charter plane that was Florida bound.
|
“Our objectives are the same every year that we are fortunate enough to participate in a bowl game. First, we want to do whatever we can and which is reasonable to provide our coaches and student-athletes the greatest chance for success in the game itself and we want to do that in a way that speaks well of our athletics program, our institution and the Big Ten Conference.”
UI Director of Athletics Bob Bowlsby
|
The move from the heartland to Orlando meant two things: The Hawkeyes would celebrate Christmas for the third straight year in the Sunshine State and that preparations for the 2005 Capital One Bowl on New Year’s Day against SEC powerhouse Louisiana State had begun in earnest.
It also meant the balancing act between providing the resources necessary to prepare for success on the playing field on January 1 and to do so while watching closely the dollars spent had begun in earnest, too.
The University of Iowa is provided $1.4 million by the Big Ten Conference to spend on its 11-day stay in Orlando. That number is significantly different than the $5 million-plus advertised “payout” for the Capital One Bowl but is consistent with league policy.
“The Big Ten’s structure for bowl revenue is significantly different than the majority of the other intercollegiate athletics conferences across the country. It’s an extension of the league’s strong belief in revenue sharing,” said UI Director of Athletics Bob Bowlsby.
All revenue from all bowl games involving a Big Ten school is actually forwarded to the Big Ten Conference. Each school participating in a post-season game is given a budget to use against all expenses associated with the bowl trip. If the school goes over that budget, it is the financial responsibility of the school. If the school operates its trip under budget, it keeps the difference.
The cumulative difference between the “payout” for each bowl game and the budget provided is split 12 ways – one slice for each of the 11 institutions in the Big Ten and one share for the league.
“It’s a system that serves all of us well. The institutions that are bowl eligible are provided the resources they need to stage their trip at a level that is comparable with our peers across the nation. The institutions that aren’t as fortunate benefit financially in much the same way as all of us do with respect to our revenue sharing policies for football ticket sales and television rights,” said Bowlsby.
The Big Ten-approved budget for the Capital One Bowl and the Outback Bowl are virtually the same — $1.4 million for Orlando and $1.35 for Tampa. The institution participating in the Rose Bowl receives slightly more.
The University of Iowa entered its trip to Orlando with a budget that was set a break-even. Some of the more significant expenses being planned for included the following:
? $200,000 for round-trip plane service for the student-athletes, coaches and support staff, and families – a group that numbered about 280 and departed Iowa City on Dec. 23
? $160,000 for the round-trip plane service for the UI Marching Band – a group that will number about 350 when it departs Iowa City on the morning of Dec. 29
? $185,000 for meals for the student-athletes, coaches and support staff, and families while in Orlando
? $160,000 for hotel rooms
? $140,000 for tickets to the 2005 Capital One Bowl
? $90,000 for ground transportation while in Orlando – team buses equipment vans and a handful of rental cars.
“It’s a challenging task, making certain we are good stewards of the funds provided by the Big Ten while providing an enjoyable experience for our student-athletes who have worked hard to earn this opportunity,” said Bowlsby.
“Our objectives are the same every year that we are fortunate enough to participate in a bowl game. First, we want to do whatever we can and which is reasonable to provide our coaches and student-athletes the greatest chance for success in the game itself and we want to do that in a way that speaks well of our athletics program, our institution and the Big Ten Conference.”