Twitter Updates 2024

You are both sort of saying the same thing, just in different ways.

My 4 season tickets run me about 6,000.00 a year including booster contributions. The UAA sold 62,000+ season tickets last year, some paid more booster fees than me, some paid less… but at 1500.00 per seat (not to mention concessions and merchandise,) the UAA was taking in roughly 70-90 million dollars for the year. ( I don’t know the number of student tickets)

That is a major portion of the entire athletic budget… so season ticket holders are and always have paid a significant amount of the overall UAA budget.

Having NIL run through the UAA would certainly streamline the process, it would be simple to add 250.00 a year to each seat to fund NIL ( that would be 15-16 million) but it would not be without problems

1. The Supreme Court decision allows athletes to profit from Name,Image, and Likeness, presumably as structured now that would still allow outside entities to make their own deals. 2. Season tickets sales could, probably would decline. 3. Since NIL is now run through a separate entity now there is little impact from Title XI (as far as I can tell), that may not be the case if it ran through the UAA… to me it seems there would almost certainly be some guidelines that would ensure payment across the board.

It’s likely all those problems, and any additional ones could be worked around, but it will require some pre consideration.

This doesn’t need to be a peeing contest about who pays the most (my 6,000.00 is significant to me, but pocket change to others) I’m grateful for the individuals that can afford more, but I don’t appreciate the notion that many more aren’t already contributing to the overall financial stability of athletics at The University of Florida.

It’s not a matter of 50.00 a month for many of us, it’s a matter of another 600.00 a year for a lot of us that are already spending 5-10% of our gross income on UF Athletics.

 

I worked for the UF Foundation while in school. We called Alum and asked for donations to their individual college (Business School, Law School, Architecture School, etc...). The "1853 Society" was for those who donated $100/year...the Alum got a pin, sticker and their name in a pamphlet. It wasn't hard to get Alum to donate $10-$25 and required a little finesse to get the $100. No one questioned where their money was being spent.

That money went straight to improvements within the university...athletics didn't see any of it.

I can see the next phase of the collective having annual fund raising events. The problem is this will directly compete with the UF Foundations efforts. Alum will be called from the Foundation and then again from Florida Victorious.

I am certain Alum will get tired of writing checks.

 

Title 9 will be a huge issue if the schools start paying directly.

The big boosters fund a whole lot more than just their season ticket booster contributions. They fund stadium and arena renovations, they fund new stadiums and all kinds of other facilities. They fund buyouts. This is all money raised mostly outside of the normal ticket sales, tv, and other normal operating revenue. Now they’re also carrying the heavy load of NIL.

I have no issue with the dollar amount that anyone chooses to donate. I appreciate anything anyone does to help. If $20 is what you can give, thank you for your contribution. If $1000 is what you can give, thank you for your contribution. I take issue with all the comments about other people not doing enough and pointing fingers at the guys already donating millions. I take issue with people who donate $20 just so they feel they’ve earned the right to complain. This is something that any of us as individuals can make a difference with. It’s not anyone else’s responsibility any more than it’s yours or mine. If losing recruits to Auburn because we got outbid bothers you, do something about it. Don’t complain that someone else isn’t doing enough. Do something yourself. If you’re not willing to do that, then don’t complain.

 

I think you make a valid point that gets lost on some. A lot of the wealth and let’s even point to the younger wealth amongst UF alumni. They got there with smart financial decisions. I don’t think NIL is one. Maybe, just maybe the big $$$$ guys care a little bit more about the school than the sports.

For some families it might be a decision of season tickets and fees or just making a trip to game vs throwing money at NIL. It’s asking a lot for a lot of people IMO.

I do think winning helps.

 

9th season? That’s just stupid.

 

Are you contributing anything to Florida Victorious?

 

I indicated a organization will undoubtly have its humble beginings, to me once again either your in or your not! If the decision is made to not be in it to compete or to be in it on some scaled down basis, for those that contribute directly and/or indirectly to Gator football they owe it to all of them to be transparent about that plan moving forward, so a rational level expectation can be established for everyone moving forward..............all I see going on at the present time is 1/2 arsed excuse making by those deemed with their finger on the pulse or at the very least in the know.....

 

Jameer Grimsley is officially in the portal. Interested to see if we pick him up since I believe we were top 2 behind Bama.

 

No.

I love my Gators but not more than my family and friends.

FWIW - I have the disposable income but will never spend it foolishly. NIL is not for me but I'm not judging those that want to contribute. Perhaps Gator football is a big part of their identity and they need those extra wins to get through the day?

And as a few posters mentioned above, I'm one of those that is educated on how to accumulate wealth. I didn't get to this point in my life by making bad decisions, especially with money.

@tarponbro - I can tell by your posts that you "need" the Gators to win a lot of games for whatever reason. There is a path to making this happen ... contribute 10% of your salary (like a tithe) and then find 1000 more people just like you, to follow your lead. But I don't think that will be necessary. This is a mess and will have to get sorted out soon.

 

At this point just do away with an eligibility limit, if they continue making progress towards a degree (gotta still pretend there’s an academic component) and a school still wants them to play for them why not?

Honestly with the courts over turning everything I’m surprised this hadn’t already happened. How is allowing them to play only 4 years not infringing on their rights to earn a living? any other phd student could stay around for as long as the school lets them and they can make money off their NIL so why’s an athlete different? That’s mostly tongue cheek but…

 

I wasn’t singling you out, just ranting, per usual. Apologies if it came across that way.

 

Well, the school doesn’t have to award a scholarship in perpetuity. If they are off scholarship and want to pay their own tuition (or have it funded through NIL) that is a different argument.

students who elect to go to grad school for masters and doctorates either get loans, have jobs and pay for it, get academic scholarships and grants, etc. the school doesn’t tell them they have to leave after getting an undergrad degree. But they also don’t give them room and board and free tuition either.

athletes are no different- they could pay their own way or get academic scholarships to go to grad school but…as you say, they can only play so many years of sports at this point.

 

The collective doesn’t seem to be trying very hard to get the everyday fan to chip in.

 

I don’t know the nuances of the Green Bay Packers selling shares, but it seems like some kind of a model like that if it can be applied to this would be worth looking at. Giving the fans something with some kind of meaning more than a koozie and T-shirt. I don’t know, there’s got to be a way to market this better than “donate or shut up.”

 

That’s the thing. It’s gonna get a lot worse before it can get better. The cat is already out of the bag…antitrust laws, Title IX, and a host of other civil rights issues will all need to be worked out before order can be found. Can public universities set up private for profit companies and not have to play by the rules when it all shakes out. I would imagine the big money will win out and it’s gonna get a lot sloppier than it is now.

 

When the football team generates 100 mil a year, they can figure it out. Schools without football programs to fund sports still have sports. I know they want to keep the money but the regular everyday fans paid that 100 mil for football.

 

They do lots of stuff, but maybe mostly in Gainesville. They’re all over the place trying to get people to sign up as well as offering meet and greet stuff for members. Larger donors have more incentives. Smaller donors get to meet players at FV events. It’s mostly volunteer work. You could probably help in your area.

 

Football can take care of itself.

 

Good luck implementing your vision.