Boosters deal with change

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/2020/03/28/seminole-boosters-look-strengthen-relationships-during-coronavirus-outbreak/2924426001/

And the transition plan for the retirement of Andy Miller, who has served as CEO and President since its inception in 1975, is on schedule for September.

Every year, Seminole Boosters funds $34 million in program support on behalf of the athletics department. It helps provide the framework that makes winning possible through scholarships, academic and medical services, facilities, and coaches. 

While athletic programs can identify short-term costs, longer-term financial impacts are even less clear. The latest news hasn't been good either. Last Thursday, the NCAA’ announced that instead of a projected $600 million distribution to Division I schools, the Board of Governors voted unanimously to distribute $225 million - about 37 percent of its original projection. 

Despite the uncertainty surrounding athletics, Miller - a third generation Seminole - is confident in the university's transition plan to name his successor by September. Miller will remain on the job through the end of the year and move into a consulting role in 2021, saying "I want to contribute where I can. I want to be involved because this organization, specifically this university, means a lot to me." 

The coronavirus has changed business practices, including at Seminole Boosters. While the organization has not laid off any full-time employees, Miller said he not utilizing his  part-time help during this crisis. The organization’s operational staff continues to process contributions and acknowledge financial gifts. Miller also holds daily calls with staff to strategize and remain on task. He stressed the organization is healthy financially, has accumulated key assets and done "a good job of planning for a rainy day."

It also has made defensive moves during this time. Football season ticket and Booster priority deadline has been extended to May 1. Last week, FSU's Board of Trustees gave Seminole Boosters approval to finance $45 million for College Town I and II. Miler pointed to a silver lining in the current landscape, saying it's the best time to finance a project due to low interest rates. 

"We have a stable project there (College Town) and one that's done very well," he said. "We want to make sure that project remains healthy and we get a strong revenue stream that will continue to come back to the boosters for years to come." 

Despite the daily challenges caused the coronavirus pandemic, Miller and staff are focused on the organization's vision that has helped turn FSU athletics into a national brand.

Ranked 11th in the Director's Cup following the fall season, the Seminoles were poised for a strong finish following the winter and spring sports. The men's basketball team, earmarked as a contender for the national tile, earned its highest ranking in school history at No. 4 in the final Associated Press poll. The men's track & field team captured the ACC Indoor Championships in February. 

Football spending

More great analysis from HokieMark:

https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2020/03/spending-on-football-2018-19-eada.html

Syracuse.com has done the legwork of pulling out how much each ACC spent on football during the 2018-19 season, as reported by each school to the EADA. Here are those numbers for each school for the last 3 seasons...

Rank	Team	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19
1	Florida State	$48.3 M	$57.7 M	$68.9 M
2	Miami	$33 M	$37.3 M	$56.3 M
3	Clemson	$43.9 M	$46.3 M	$55.6 M
4	Notre Dame	$33.3 M	$42.8 M	$50.2 M
5	Louisville	$25.2 M	$26.9 M	$44.1 M
6	Pitt	$27.4 M	$27.1 M	$31.8 M
7	Virginia Tech	$25 M	$27.9 M	$30.1 M
8	Georgia Tech	$22.3 M	$25.1 M	$29.7 M
9	Duke	$24.5 M	$26.2 M	$28.8 M
10	Syracuse	$22 M	$25 M	$28 M
11	Virginia	$21.1 M	$22.6 M	$26.3 M
12	Boston College	$23.1 M	$23.5 M	$24.9 M
13	NC State	$20.9 M	$21.3 M	$23.3 M
14	North Carolina	$21.7 M	$21.1 M	$23.1 M
15	Wake Forest	$18.9 M	$19.4 M	$21.5 M

Which Expenses? 

Those attributable to intercollegiate athletic activities. This includes appearance guarantees and options, athletically related student aid, contract services, equipment, fundraising activities, operating expenses, promotional activities, recruiting expenses, salaries and benefits, supplies, travel, and any other expenses attributable to intercollegiate athletic activities. These are actual amounts expended, not budgeted or estimated amounts, and spans from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.

Analysis:

Florida State spent more on football in the 2018-19 season than NC State, UNC and Wake Forest combined. In fact, if you toss in Duke and Virginia you still haven't equaled the spending of the two Florida schools, FSU and Miami. That's a problem when you consider that the North Carolina schools have more voting power than the Florida schools!

Also, while Pitt and UNC both decreased their football spending a little from 2016-17 to 2017-18, no ACC spent less in 2018-19 than it did in 2017-18. The smallest increase was Boston College (up $1.4 M), while the biggest jump was Miami (up $19 million!). Louisville football spending also saw a big 2-year increase, up $18.9 million.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-896986-post-16755911.html#pid16755911

2018-19 Revenue Figures

JRSEC and HokieMark cover these subjects better than anyone:

https://csnbbs.com/thread-896892-post-16751558.html#pid16751558

2018-9 Gross Total Revenue

SEC Gross Total Sports Revenue:

1. Georgia: $174,042,482
2. Alabama: $166,812,799
3. Texas A&M: $160,101,611
4. Louisiana State: $157,787,780
5. Auburn: $152,455,418
6. Florida: $143,627,997
7. Kentucky: $143,481,480
8. South Carolina: 140,295,659
9. Arkansas: $139,504,649
10. Tennessee: $135,818,717
11. Mississippi: $96,790,426
12. Missouri: $94,612,498
13. Mississippi State: $93,389,557
14. Vanderbilt: $84,191,143
Total: $1,882,912,216
AVG: $134,493,730
Diff: +$997,201




Big 10 Gross Total Sports Revenue:

1. Ohio State: $209,102,666
2. Michigan: $175,006,632
3. Penn State: $164,529,325
4. Wisconsin: $151,369,153
5. Iowa: $144,070,825
6. Nebraska: $130,313,578
7. Indiana: $126,358,047
8. Minnesota: $122,667,963
9. Michigan State: $116,186,933
10. Northwestern: $111,421,226
11. Purdue: $110,844,907
12. Maryland: $108,796,303
13. Illinois: $100,156,079
14. Rutgers: $83,053,040
Total: $1,853,876,677
AVG: $132,419,763
Diff: *+$4,802,088

* This is the result of the first full year of their FOX contract. It was a nice bump per school. If they get that much again in 2024 we should be 10,000,000 per school ahead.




Big 12 Total Gross Sports Revenue:

1. Texas: $215,829,101
2. Oklahoma: $159,286,136
3. Kansas: $119,768,008
4. T.C.U.: $118,496,653
5. Baylor: $101,243,920
6. West Virginia: $101,095,223
7. Oklahoma State: $91,066952
8. Kansas State: $89,919,819
9. Texas Tech: $86,442,709
10. Iowa State: $79,860,045
Total: $1,163,008,566
AVG: $116,300,857
Diff: -$2,673,779



ACC Gross Total Sports Revenue:

1. Florida State: #$198,407,201
2. Louisville: $148,667,940
3. Miami: $127,170,251
4. Clemson: $124,601,614
5. Duke: $116,021,513
6. Virginia: $108,854,006
7. North Carolina: $105,407,867
8. Syracuse: $99,815,688
9. Pittsburgh: $98,866,362
10. N.C. State: $92,724,547
11. Virginia Tech: $83,767,722
12. Boston College: $82,680,712
13. Georgia Tech: $79,491,714
14. Wake Forest: $76,520,111
Total: $1,592,997,248
AVG: $110,214,089
Diff: #+$8,637,760

#Florida State's revenue was skewed by 78 million in contributions outside of sports revenue. This accounted for a 5.6 million average bump per school in the conferences payout average for Gross Revenue.
The ACC really received a nice 3 million bump per school over the previous year.


**Notre Dame: $169,547,675



PAC 12 Gross Total Sports Revenue:

1. Stanford: $139,390,932
2. Washington: $133,792,677
3. U.C.L.A.: $127,339,042
4. U.S.C.: $118,687,120
5. Oregon: $108,500,370
6. Arizona: $102,275,918
7. Arizona State: $101,836,361
8. Colorado: $98,413,285
9. California: $94,646,123
10. Utah: $94,177,912
11. Oregon State: $82,364,021
12. Washington State: $75,957,792
Total: $1,277,381,553
AVG: $106,448,463
Diff: +$1,421,440

---

https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2020/03/2018-19-eada-revenues.html

You may remember JRSEC - he's an Auburn fan and a mediator on the fan site CSNBBS.com. He has dug into the 2018 EADA data (now available - see below) to come up with total gross revenue for each power five school. Without further ado...

2018-9 Gross Total Revenue (in $20M groupings)

Rank	Team	$215M-$195M	ACC	B1G	Pac	SEC	XII
1	Texas	$215,829,101					215
2	Ohio State	$209,102,666		209
3	Florida State	$198,407,201	198
Rank	Team	$195M-$175M	ACC	B1G	Pac	SEC	XII
4	Michigan	$175,006,632		175
Rank	Team	$175M-$155M	ACC	B1G	Pac	SEC	XII
5	Georgia	$174,042,482				174
6	Notre Dame	$169,547,675	169
7	Alabama	$166,812,799				166
8	Penn State	$164,529,325		164
9	Texas A&M	$160,101,611				160
10	Oklahoma	$159,286,136					159
11	LSU	$157,787,780				157
Rank	Team	$155M-$135M	ACC	B1G	Pac	SEC	XII
12	Auburn	$152,455,418				152
13	Wisconsin	$151,369,153		151
14	Louisville	$148,667,940	148
15	Iowa	$144,070,825		144
16	Florida	$143,627,997				143
17	Kentucky	$143,481,480				143
18	South Carolina	$140,295,659				140
19	Arkansas	$139,504,649				139
20	Stanford	$139,390,932			139
21	Tennessee	$135,818,717				135
Rank	Team	$135M-$115M	ACC	B1G	Pac	SEC	XII
22	Washington	$133,792,677			133
23	Nebraska	$130,313,578		130
24	UCLA	$127,339,042			127
25	Miami	$127,170,251	127
26	Indiana	$126,358,047		126
27	Clemson	$124,601,614	124
28	Minnesota	$122,667,963		122
29	Kansas	$119,768,008					119
30	USC	$118,687,120			118

https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2020/03/clemson-and-fsu-revenue-trends-2005-18.html

Back in 2012 and 2013, certain ACC schools had a decision to make: stay in the ACC and try to make a go of it, or try to jump to the Big XII and the promise of more TV money. One school from the East made that jump - West Virginia - but Clemson and Florida State stayed put. Were they wise to remain in the ACC, or foolish not to follow WVU to the Big XII?

Back in 2014 we reported on early returns, and they were not favorable for WVU [see Big XII: Were ACC Teams Wrong not to jump?]. At that time the problem we reported on was not a lack of revenue for West Virginia, but rather, a mountain of expenses for the Mountaineers. Well, with coaches salaries rising and ACC Network studios on campuses and so forth, it's become fairly expensive to be in the ACC, too!

For that reason, let's turn our attention back to revenues. Here's a table of the total annual revenues for each of the three schools by year:

YEAR	Clemson	Florida State	West Virginia
2018	$120,532,975.00	$168,177,850.00	$102,684,423.00
2017	$112,600,964.00	$144,514,413.00	$110,565,870.00
2016	$104,823,057.00	$113,754,314.00	$105,140,368.00
2015	$83,534,371.00	$120,822,522.00	$90,523,565.00
2014	$74,793,322.00	$104,774,474.00	$77,626,819.00
2013	$69,061,398.00	$91,382,441.00	$77,706,698.00
2012	$70,002,280.00	$100,049,444.00	$80,064,869.00
2011	$61,174,977.00	$78,575,788.00	$60,451,426.00
2010	$57,562,999.00	$74,402,269.00	$62,030,104.00
2009	$61,416,494.00	$74,417,324.00	$55,658,165.00
2008	$59,180,652.00	$73,458,494.00	$54,262,716.00
2007	$56,028,881.00	$77,257,845.00	$46,970,708.00
2006	$46,430,106.00	$67,012,792.00	$49,917,536.00
2005	$40,445,377.00	$56,576,933.00	$33,541,339.00
2012-18	$635,348,367.00	$843,475,458.00	$644,312,612.00
2005-11	$382,239,486.00	$501,701,445.00	$362,831,994.00

Have Clemson and Florida State been able to keep up with their in-state SEC rivals, though? Without looking at the numbers, you'd probably think "yes" for Clemson and "no" for Florida State, right? You'd be wrong! Take a look:

YEAR	Florida	UF vs FSU	S Carolina	SC vs CU
2018	$161,183,765	($6,994,085)	$140,084,150	$19,551,175.00
2017	$149,165,475	$4,651,062	$136,032,845	$23,431,881.00
2016	$141,441,109	$27,686,795	$122,331,092	$17,508,035.00
2015	$147,105,242	$26,282,720	$113,172,545	$29,638,174.00
2014	$124,611,305	$19,836,831	$98,619,479	$23,826,157.00
2013	$130,011,244	$38,628,803	$90,484,422	$21,423,024.00
2012	$120,772,106	$20,722,662	$87,608,352	$17,606,072.00
2011	$123,514,257	$44,938,469	$83,813,226	$22,638,249.00
2010	$117,104,407	$42,702,138	$79,879,193	$22,316,194.00
2009	$96,814,239	$22,396,915	$76,117,140	$14,700,646.00
2008	$106,607,895	$33,149,401	$66,545,953	$7,365,301.00
2007	$108,300,504	$31,042,659	$60,544,531	$4,515,650.00
2006	$82,877,813	$15,865,021	$52,058,257	$5,628,151.00
2005	$77,742,484	$21,165,551	$46,280,330	$5,834,953.00

Back in 2005, the Florida Gators earned $21 million more than the Florida State Seminoles. That gap swelled to $33 million in 2008 and to $44 million in 2011! However, something changed around 2014. That year, FSU pulled to within $20 million of UF. Then, in 2017, the Noles pulled within $5 million of the Gators - and in 2018, Florida State actually earned more revenue than Florida!

What about Clemson? The Tigers' revenue has nearly tripled from 2005 to 2018 - which is great! But in that same span, the Gamecocks have also tripled their revenue - and they were ahead of Clemson to start. Unfortunately, that means the gap also tripled - from just under $6 million to well over $19 million. I suppose it could be worse: SC was over $22 million ahead of Clemson in revenue the year the ACC signed that ill-advised TV contract in 2010. The gap ballooned to its biggest number so far in 2015, at nearly $30 million! So, for now, the good news (if you want to call it "good") is that the Tigers had cut $10 million off that gap by 2018.

Where do we go from here? We should get ACC tax returns in a couple of months, which will give us a better feel for the revenue trends (the 2019-20 athletic year is going to be some seriously messed up data, but we wouldn't be getting that this year anyway - it'll be data for 2018-19). "Normal" revenue numbers from the ACC Network are two years away. Then it'll be time for the SEC to start getting their tier one bump from ESPN... it's a never-ending game of tag in which the ACC is the little brother, always chasing his big brother, the SEC.

Startup Incubator and College Town financing info

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2020/03/24/fsu-trustees-approve-boosters-request-finance-college-town-2-5-million-startup-incubator/2899395001/?fbclid=IwAR0-52e0ckoAHgwbbINd6DrA8uhVg2Cm3DpdZ6mHaFBgno3yWqntKgDe60s

Florida State University’s Board of Trustees, meeting via teleconference Monday, approved the FSU Research Foundation committing $2.5 million in matching funds toward a startup incubator in Innovation Park.

They also approved a finance plan for Seminole Boosters regarding College Town, and heard from President John Thrasher on FSU's response to the coronavirus measures.

Gary Ostrander, vice president for research at FSU, said space for start-up companies, many created by FSU faculty to commercialize technology created in their labs, is lacking in Tallahassee.

But a concerted effort is underway to correct that void with the construction of a $17-million, 40,000 square foot wet and dry lab incubator in Innovation Park.

Ostrander said the city and county, through Blueprint, have committed $2.5 million and the Leon County Research and Development Authority are chipping in $1.8 million.

At the same time, the research authority also is expected to be successful in its grant application for $10.2 million from the Economic Development Administration. That funding would come out of the Hurricane Michael disaster relief fund for economic development.

“Presently, feedback from EDA is very encouraging and there is a good chance that LCRDA’s grant will be funded,” Ostrander said in a request to trustees.

The FSU Research Foundation board, which previously pledged $2.5 million, also approved the request.

“FSURF’s fund will be expended if funding from the EDA grant is received and the total funding commitment reaches $17 million,” Ostrander said in his appeal.

Trustees on Monday also gave Seminole Boosters approval to finance $45 million for College Town I and II.

The request will come before the Board of Governors for its approval Wednesday, when members meet on a conference call.

Andy Miller, president and CEO of Seminole Boosters, said residential and retail spaces in College Town I and II are 100-percent occupied and the third phase, College Town III, is 98 percent occupied.

The Boosters request to finance $45 million for College Town I and will go toward:

• College Town I – Refinance $15,000,000 Hancock Loan
• College Town II – Payoff Developer’s $22,881,955 Mutual of Omaha Loan
• College Town II – Buyout Developer’s $1,850,000 interest
• College Town II – Buyout $4,900,000 of outside investors interest, with expectation of receiving the remaining $2,100,000 as a donation.
• Financial Advisor Fees: $146,250
• Loan Origination Fees: $225,000

Miller said The Boosters have 100 percent ownership of College Town Phase I, and they must refinance their existing Hancock $15 million interest-only loan by Oct. 1.

Hancock Bank extended the date from Feb. 1, 2020 to allow Boosters time to refinance with College Town II financing, according to meeting materials.

College Town II has a developer buyout option, which expires on May 1, 2020. The 30 percent developer ownership interest could result in a much larger buyout requirement in the future.

The developer is currently guaranteeing the existing College Town II loan and has significant amount of their borrowing capacity tied up in this project. The Boosters expect the developer wants to sell their interest or determine how to no longer guarantee the loan.

College Town II has an Investor buyout option expiring on December 31, 2020, which includes a 5 percent discount on the purchase price. The Boosters are working with several of the Investors on receiving their shares as a donation.

The Boosters must have 100 percent ownership of College Town II to apply for property tax exemption on the residential part of the property, which could result in $100,000 to $200,000 savings.

“If the Boosters do not proceed as planned, they may lose the opportunity to buy College Town II,” according to meeting materials. “This will create competition with their interests in College Town I & III.”

Largest Jumbotron’s in College Football

Largest Jumbotron’s in College Football

1. Oregon
2. Auburn
3. Utah
4. Oklahoma
5. Texas AM
6. Texas
7. Miami
8. Florida State
9. Arkansas
10. USC Trojans
11. Georgia State
12. Arizona
13. Miss State
14. Ohio St
15. Minnesota

— CFB Hype (@CFB_Hype) March 22, 2020

FSU graduate programs ranked among nation’s best by U.S. News

https://news.fsu.edu/news/2020/03/19/fsu-graduate-programs-ranked-among-nations-best-by-u-s-news/

Florida State University’s graduate programs are among the nation’s best, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 edition of “Best Graduate Schools.” 

FSU’s graduate programs in clinical psychology, fine arts, speech-language pathology, real estate and engineering all made significant jumps in the publication’s annual rankings, released March 17. 

“These are exciting times at Florida State University,” said Mark Riley, dean of the Graduate School. “These fabulous rankings further reflect the momentum FSU continues to build as people learn about the extraordinary programs we offer and our focus on student success in all their creative endeavors.” 

The rising reputation of FSU’s graduate programs is one of the key reasons the university saw a 6 percent increase in enrollment in Fall 2019 over the previous year. 

The rising reputation of FSU’s graduate programs is one of the key reasons the university saw a 6 percent increase in enrollment in Fall 2019 over the previous year. 

“Last fall, we received the highest number of graduate applications ever, which resulted in our largest cohort of new students enrolled to date,” Riley said. “We currently have the highest total number of graduate students ever at Florida State.” 

The FSU Clinical Psychology graduate program soared nine spots to No. 27 in the latest national rankings and checked in at No. 18 among public universities. The program, housed in FSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, has jumped 20 places since 2015. 

“The Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology is the premier degree of our discipline, one that combines the rigor of experimental science with the compassion and care needed to effectively address today’s mental health concerns,” said Frank Johnson, chair of the Department of Psychology. “In many ways, the FSU Clinical Psychology program is built on the basic science conducted in other areas of our outstanding department — cognitive, developmental, and social psychology, as well as neuroscience — but it takes an extraordinary clinical psychology faculty to transform those findings into real-world treatments and therapies with the power to change lives for the better.” 

With this recent rise in graduate rankings, the FSU Clinical Psychology program joins an elite group of programs around the country. 

“It is gratifying to see this leap in the rankings, which is a bonus to the hard work of faculty, students and staff,” said Sam Huckaba, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The program, along with all the other areas of psychology, is focused on excellence and high quality, and our colleagues are relentless in their pursuit of these standards.” 

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) also chose the FSU Clinical Psychology Program for its biannual 2019 Outstanding Training Program Award in recognition of the group’s significant contributions in training behavioral therapists and promoting behavioral therapy. 

The College of Fine Arts Department of Art soared to No. 21 among national public universities in the Best Graduate Fine Arts Programs category, based on a survey of academics at peer institutions.  

“The College of Fine Arts boasts highly successful programs across an array of disciplines,” said James Frazier, dean of the College of Fine Arts. “Students benefit from the expertise of accomplished faculty members, and our graduate students represent the best and brightest in their respective fields of study.” 

Florida State University’s MBA specialty in real estate ranked among the Top 10 public programs nationwide. This the first year that U.S. News has assessed real estate as an MBA specialty, and FSU placed No. 17 overall and No. 9 among public schools. Real estate is one of eight MBA specializations offered at FSU. Recently the college added the real estate specialization as an option for students in its on-campus Master of Science in Finance (MSF). 

“This is another honor for our faculty and affirmation of the college’s continued success in equipping students with key finance and investment skills that lead to thriving real estate careers,” said Michael Hartline, dean of the FSU College of Business. 

The College of Communication and Information’s speech-language pathology graduate program leaped eight spots to No. 20 in the nation and No. 15 among public universities. 

“It’s exciting to see the hard work and dedication of this group of faculty, staff and students pay off and get recognized,” said Larry Dennis, dean of the College of Communication and Information. 

Together, the College of Education’s graduate programs ranked No. 47 overall and No. 33 among public universities. For the first time this year, the college’s Student Counseling and Personnel Services program cracked the national rankings at No. 15. Other College of Education programs ranked this year include: Educational Psychology (No. 22), Special Education (No. 24) and Curriculum & Instruction (No. 29).   

“We’ve made great strides in our programs this past year, including the relaunch of our school counseling program, which is now offered online,” said Damon Andrew, dean of the College of Education. “This new ranking reflects our commitment to providing students with an outstanding educational experience that will prepare them to make a positive impact on future generations.” 

The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering also was one of several programs with an upward trajectory, climbing 21 points over the past three years. 

“U.S. News rankings of graduate engineering schools represent real metrics of progress in research impact, Ph.D. production and external funding,” J. Murray Gibson, dean of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering said. “Our increase represents genuine progress in these metrics, reflective of a commitment on the part of the college and our two universities to advance this unique enterprise to the advantage of our students and the Florida community. Only a handful of engineering schools have seen this kind of rapid progress.” 

The 2021 edition of the U.S. News & World Report rankings assesses multiple types of graduate programs, including the six disciplines with some of the largest enrollments: business, law, medicine, nursing, engineering and education. In addition, U.S. News also publishes rankings of various graduate programs based purely on the opinions of academic experts, such as programs that focus on public affairs, fine arts or health professions. 

College of Medicine announces Match Day results

https://news.fsu.edu/news/health-medicine/2020/03/20/florida-state-university-college-of-medicine-announces-match-day-results-2/

Of the 114 graduating students who registered in the matching program, 67 (59 percent) matched in a primary care specialty, including internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics and obstetrics-gynecology.

Other students matched today in anesthesiology, dermatology, emergency medicine, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, pathology, psychiatry, diagnostic radiology, general surgery, urology and vascular surgery.

Two students matched in Tallahassee, and five matched with residency programs sponsored by the College of Medicine.

Forty-four students matched in Florida, a state that ranks 42nd nationally in the number of available residency slots.

The residency match, conducted annually by the National Resident Matching Program, is the primary system that matches applicants to residency programs with available positions at U.S. teaching hospitals. Graduating medical students across the country receive their match information at the same time on the same day.

ACC again shows to be 3rd in TV ratings (but last, ie 5th, in revenue)

nice find by https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/

https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2020/03/2019-regular-season-avg-tv-viewers.html

Avg Viewers per FB game, 2019 regular season: Conf.Avg VwrsGames S.E.C. 3.45M 58 Big Ten2.67M 65 A.C.C.2.01M 41 Big XII1.83M 53 Pac121.72M 55 ACC is third (again), despite one of the worst seasons ever on the field. TV payout was below 3rd, last I heard.

Avg Viewers per FB game, 2019 regular season:

Conf.Avg VwrsGames
S.E.C. 3.45M 58
Big Ten2.67M 65
A.C.C.2.01M 41
Big XII1.83M 53
Pac121.72M 55

ACC is third (again), despite one of the worst seasons ever on the field. TV payout was below 3rd, last I heard.

— Hokie Mark (@mark_hokie) March 6, 2020

https://csnbbs.com/thread-896422.html

Post: #1 Most Watched College Basketball Games Of 2019-20 Season https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2020/03...-espn-btn/

https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/2020/03/2019-tv-viewers-by-game.html

Why is the ACC TV contract so bad? (Updated)

Lou, a solid FSU fan with great insight sums it up well.

In addition to Lou's points, I believe the ACC was also one of the few, if not only, to basically:

*Give away tier 3 rights.
*Give away the conference championship game.
*ACC also got murdered in major bowl payout negotiations.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-895378-page-3.html

I'll put in my two cents...Swofford is number one to blame, as head of the organization, but there is blood on everyone's hands, including FSU and Clemson.

Some things were bad timing...ACC football being pathetic, the economy, etc. But it's not like the ACC being pathetic was just bad luck. It was pathetic for decades. I'm not going to do it again, but I went back and tracked by decade, and the ACC was by far the worst every decade in landing top 10 final poll teams. Several decades, behind conferences that don't even exist any more, like the Big East or Southwest. People would always say "it's cyclical", but it wasn't cyclical...the ACC was the flat line worst for DECADES until the 2010s. So basically, they deephasized football for decades UNTIL they signed that deal.

We've seen the ACC have a solid performance in the last ten years (last year notwithstanding), in large part simply by making the commitment. The scales didn't fall of their eyes until the realignment crisis, and the dangling of the ACC Network, and all of a sudden ACC schools start realizing that football matters. Commitment gets results. If they'd done that in 2000 instead of 2010, we'd be in a totally different situation.

And I don't necessarily blame them for not having the insight in 1983 or something, when basketball was the big financial driver...but by the late 1990s is was plainly obvious to everyone but the ACC that football was the financial future. You would think that watching the arguably greatest basketball conference, the Big East, progressively fall apart over the inability to field a coherent football product would have made it perfectly clear that basketball wasn't going to save anybody, but that shouldn't even have been necessary.

All that being said, even if you're as blind to the changing financial landscape as the ACC was, the deal was STILL worse than it had to be. Even if they hadn't seen the football light until late in the game, they could have signed a shorter contract, pieced it out among suitors, and not set aside for Raycom.

All you have to do is look at the fact that the ACC was the ONLY conference that decided that:
1. ALL content should be sold to one network
2. Games MUST continue to be sold to a syndicator
No other conference thought that was a good move, and it actually went opposite the trend of everyone else.

So not only did you let your product deteriorate and stagnate even knowing a contract would be on the horizon, you then sold that product in a disadvantageous way. Swofford has to own that first and foremost, but it's not like one man made it happen against the wishes of the programs. The programs all own that by being complicit, ignorant, or simply deferring without thought. Swofford isn't a king or a mega genius, and the schools should not have acted (not acted) like he was.

Tally ranked in Top 10 cities in South

https://www.facebook.com/notes/authentic-florida/southern-living-magazine-again-names-tallahassee-one-of-the-souths-best-cities/3623129551095151/?__tn__=H-R

Southern Living Magazine Again Names Tallahassee One of The South’s Best Cities

AUTHENTIC FLORIDA·TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2020·READING TIME: 3 MINUTES

For the second year in a row, Leon County has earned a coveted travel distinction from national magazine Southern Living. Tallahassee was named the No. 10 South’s Best City, No. 9 South’s Best College Town and home to the No. 1 South’s Best Garden Shop (Tallahassee Nurseries) as part of the magazine’s fourth annual South’s Best Awards recognizing readers’ favorite Southern destinations and experiences.

“Southern Living’s South's Best Awards celebrate communities that exemplify Southern hospitality, character and warmth, so it is no surprise that Tallahassee was recognized again as a top city in the south,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Bryan Desloge. “As our community has grown, we have retained that special blend of natural beauty and unexpected elements that make us all proud to call Leon County home.”

Southern Living is a leading travel and lifestyle publication that celebrates the essence of life in the South, covering the best in Southern food, homes, gardens and travel. Reaching more than 23 million people each month, Southern Living connects consumers to the region's rich culture through a variety of print, digital, mobile and event platforms. The magazine launched the annual crowd-sourced awards four years ago to celebrate the people and places its readers love across the South.

“As the only Florida community in the Top 10 of South’s Best Cities, Tallahassee-Leon County’s position is a credit to the commitment of our local leaders, businesses, and citizens in creating the special community we all share,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long.

The only Florida city listed on the South’s Best College Town and beating out Orlando, FL, St. Petersburg, FL and Greenville, S.C., for the South’s Best City No. 10 spot, Tallahassee earned the distinction for its history and natural beauty along with numerous wildlife preserves, animal refuges, state parks and history museums.

Southern Living Magazine “South’s Best Cities” 2020

1. Charleston, SC
2. Savannah, GA
3. Nashville, TN
4. New Orleans, LA
5. Austin, TX
6. Asheville, NC
7. Alexandria, VA
8. Atlanta, GA
9. Richmond, VA
10. Tallahassee, FL

“We are honored to be recognized for the second year in a row as one of Southern Living’s South’s Best Cities,” said Kerri L. Post, Director of Leon County Division of Tourism. “We welcome visitors and residents alike to explore and discover for themselves why Tallahassee is one of the South’s Best.”

"Residents and visitors alike know to expect the very best from Florida's Capital City, which is why Southern Living is once again recognizing Tallahassee as one of the Top 10 South's Best Cities," said Mayor John Dailey. "From our thriving economy that supports local businesses to our educational opportunities and beautiful landscapes, Tallahassee offers an exceptional quality of life for all to enjoy."

To see the South’s Best 2020 awards rankings in their entirety – showcasing the best small towns, cities, hotels, restaurants and bars among other travel related categories – visit www.southernliving.com/souths-best. The April print issue, which will be dedicated to the South’s Best 2020 results, hits stands Friday, March 20.

Seminole Golf Course reopens March 10 (update)

The tally in Tallahassee:
1 son
6 grandkids
2 football players
And now 1 special @NicklausCo course!
For 2 Buckeyes, Barbara & I have a long family history at @floridastate. To now leave a legacy of golf there with my son Jack II, I’m honored.
Seminole Legacy GC is open for play! pic.twitter.com/7Pz811q7l0

— Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) March 9, 2020

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/college/fsu/2020/03/08/jack-nicklaus-florida-state-fsu-golf-seminole-legacy-course-trey-jones-seminoles-john-thrasher/4926785002/?fbclid=IwAR3AEr2S7hpSuBtXAPnEsWfLvDlk9il7-G26_aCK3WqaBCeYPh4f0sWbJ6k

However, O'Leary is one of six children or grandchildren of Nicklaus who went to FSU. Another of his sons, Steve, played football at FSU from in 1981.

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/sports/2020/01/18/seminole-legacy-golf-club-scheduled-open-march-10/4509999002/?fbclid=IwAR36wHq6zVm893nbAbSdikZlJC1VNBDE8a_K1ckCY4pecFDlp4uy4gMj6WI

The multi-million dollar redesign on the Don Veller Seminole Golf Course is nearly complete. Mother Nature is doing her part, too.  And the end product for golfers is a brand-new course that is the first Jack Nicklaus Legacy Course in North America.

The Seminole Legacy Golf Club at Florida State University is scheduled to open Tuesday, March 10, according to course management. 

Only the 18th hole is left from the original routing. However, Nicklaus Design was able to utilize most of the old golf corridors during the $8 million renovation.

The university still owns the course, which is home to the Seminoles’ men’s and women’s golf teams and is operated by ClubCorp.

https://floridastate.forums.rivals.com/threads/seminole-legacy-gc-open-for-play.290608/

This is a false statement. The course was funded jointly by the university and Seminole Boosters. There has been 30 donors that have committed over $5 million through restricted gift commitments which can only be used for this project. The golf course project has not taken anything from the football program.

11 jamnolfin, 53 minutes ago