Recent news of a proposed $12.2 million cut in academic programs, resources and personnel by the University of Maine has members of the UMaine athletic department understandably concerned.
Coaches and athletic administrators can’t say they’re surprised, however, given the state of the economy both in Maine and the United States.
“We were kind of ahead of the curve where we had our cuts last year with significant cutbacks including the elimination of the volleyball and men’s soccer programs,” said Blake James, UMaine’s athletic director. “We cut close to a million last year from our budget and close to that again this year. It’s just the reality of the cur-rent situation.”
Maine has to cut an additional $300,000 from its athletic budget for 2010-2011 (fiscal year 2011) as well. How that cut will be administered is to be determined in the coming weeks.
“We’re finalizing what form it will take,” said James. “We have to have our budget finalized by the beginning of May.”
Much of that additional cut may be offset by “guarantee games” for which UMaine programs like football, men’s basketball and baseball are paid to play other teams on the road.
Maine football was paid $450,000 by Syracuse to play in the Carrier Dome last September and $400,000 from Iowa to play Kinnick Stadium in 2008. Maine men’s basketball received $100,000 to play Syracuse on the Orange’s home court last December. That guarantee money goes directly into UMaine’s athletic fund.
Although the athletic department was the first to feel the pain from the budgetary axe, that doesn’t mean there won’t be further cuts in upcoming budgets.
The Achieving Sustainability interim report issued by UMaine’s Academic Program Prioritization Working Group (APPWG) this week recommends $25.2 million be cut from financial year 2012 through 2014 with 60 percent ($15.2 million) assigned to UMaine academic affairs and 40 percent ($10 million) coming from reductions and/or revenue increases in other areas of the University outside academic affairs.
“Do I anticipate further cuts? I believe that is most likely the case and we’re making plans for that,” said James. “We recognize we’re an integral part of the University and have to handle our share of the cuts. We will address it internally.
“We’re in a similar situation to everyone on campus in dealing with a situation of not having the same resources that we’ve had in the past.”
To that end, Black Bear coaches are looking for alternative revenue sources.
“Times have changed and you have to change with them. Ted [Woodward] and Jack [Cosgrove] have done different things taking guarantee games,” said UMaine baseball coach Steve Trimper. “I think each coach is responsible for their own programs and we work extremely hard at fundraising. Coach [John] Winkin worked so hard to set up fundraising and friends groups and boosters, camps and clinics.”
“When I first started, we were fundraising at the $35,000 range and now we’re at about $70,000. We’re nearing the point at which half of our operating budget is self-funded through that kind of fundraising.”
Trimper’s team received about $40,000 to play away games against North Carolina, Oregon State University and Lamar University this spring.
James said UMaine athletics has a $10 million operating budget, $5 million of which is self-generated through things like ticket sales, souvenir and merchandise sales, sale of television and broadcast rights through multimedia rights broker Learfield Sports, donations, sponsors and guarantee games.
“It’s critical we do everything we do to maximize our revenue, which is even more critical in times like these,” James said.
Maine isn’t alone when it comes to its budgetary belt tightening.
“This is happening all over, whether it’s Maine or UMass or Harvard. Everyone is trying to buckle up,” Trimper said. “But I don’t think anyone’s panicking. We just plow through it and I think things will turn around. What I love about Maine is people care and they support you.”
As far as the possibility of Maine cutting another varsity sport, that is unlikely given the requirement that Division I members offer and maintain a minimum number of varsity sports.
To be an NCAA Division I member institution, a college or university must sponsor 14 varsity sports (seven men’s and seven women’s or six men’s and eight women’s) with two team sports for each gender.
Presently, Maine sponsors 15 varsity sports: seven men’s (baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, hockey, swimming/diving, track and field) and eight women’s (basketball, cross-country, field hockey, hockey soccer, softball, swimming/diving, track and field).