Governor & TN State Legislators

[madbamahater]

Tennessee is a public school. It's employees are state employees. When can the state government get involved with matters at UT?

All we hear about is money, money, money problems blah blah.

I don't believe UT has money issues. But, let's say they do. Why doesn't the state get involved and make a massive investment in UT football? Why aren't more funds made available?

If UT football is rocking and rolling it's a major economic boost to our state and local communities. People spending tons of money to see good football will provide returns many times over.

 

[GAVol]

Sounds like a great idea.

I’d use blue font, but Freak doesn’t have a deep enough blue to reflect the level of my sarcasm.

 

[unfrozencvmanvol]

Too much politics in athletics is what got us here in the first place tbh.

 

[JMSqb11]

Tennessee is a public school. It's employees are state employees. When can the state government get involved with matters at UT?

All we hear about is money, money, money problems blah blah.

I don't believe UT has money issues. But, let's say they do. Why doesn't the state get involved and make a massive investment in UT football? Why aren't more funds made available?

If UT football is rocking and rolling it's a major economic boost to our state and local communities. People spending tons of money to see good football will provide returns many times over.

I seriously doubt the Governor and State Legislature have the Tennessee Athletic Department's budget shortfall high on list of priorities.......

There are tons of other things going on in the state Covid related that could use 40-50 million dollars that actually matter than UT Athletics.

 

[Jxn Vol]

Why stop there. Just send in the national guard.

 

[TartanTurff]

Historically the athletic department has benefitted from the fact that most of its operating revenue is not taxpayer dollars but privately solicited funding and funding raised through tickets, licensing, sponsorship, broadcast rights fees, gifts and special bequests and conference revenue sharing, some of the facilities, improvements and garages used by the athletic department have publicly financed with the athletic department providing the debt service. That won't be true this year and next, with the athletic department spending significantly more than they are taking in, leaning on the Knoxville campus coffers to stay afloat, which will involve significant taxpayer dollars to run the department.

Hopefully in this environment the appropriate legislative committees will take a hard look at how this department is operated, particularly these exhorbitant contracts, extensions, buyout terms and how a purported athletic director with no prior experience as an athletic director or as a business man is allowed to be in charge of a $150 million a year operation which is now upside down financially, mismanaged and burdened with over the top, hidden contractual arrangements (some of which may not gave been disclosed yet), a comprehensive audit from the state controller would be helpful to bringing better accountability to an organization which currently has none.

 

[De La Cloobs]

The LAST thing you want is government intervention with anything that involves money

 

[The Tall Gguy]

If the university doesn't give a crap about the football program, why would the state government?

 

[utvolpj]

So, about how the utad is funded...

 

[coffeevol]

Holy crap at the brilliant thought process of VolNation lately. I am surprised that Steve Jobs has not risen from the dead to come and recruit you guys for high level jobs at Apple. Not to worry I am sure Elon Musk is in route currently. Lets get the governor of the state of Tennessee to fire our football coach and hire Bob Stoops and bring him "home" for his dream job. Crap I can't believe I did not think of this. You guys are next level, look out world VolNation to the rescue.

 

[TennesseeTarheel]

Why stop there. Just send in the national guard.

Yes. The additional revenue off beers sales would set the state up nicely.

 

[AstonRoyal]

Tennessee is a public school. It's employees are state employees. When can the state government get involved with matters at UT?

All we hear about is money, money, money problems blah blah.

I don't believe UT has money issues. But, let's say they do. Why doesn't the state get involved and make a massive investment in UT football? Why aren't more funds made available?

If UT football is rocking and rolling it's a major economic boost to our state and local communities. People spending tons of money to see good football will provide returns many times over.

You do realize that most of the revenue goes back to the the football department right? The goverment would really only make money on sales taxes and even that is barely a dent in the overall budget of the gov.

 

[tnutater]

It is absolutely amazing to me that some people think the University of Tennessee only exists for football.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

So we dont want Gumps in the athletic department but it's ok for an Auburn grad governor to interfere in the athletic department?

 

[Savannahbayvol]

It is absolutely amazing to me that some people think the University of Tennessee only exists for football.

Bingo!

 

[HooahVol]

I think it is safe to assume that up until last January the Governor did run UT athletics (Haslam). How did that work out for us?

 

[JBVolunteer]

More self-serving bureaucrats pushing their own political agendas on Tennessee athletics? That’s the last thing we need...

 

[hog88]

When do politicians ever fix anything?

 

[Arclight]

ZZZzzz

 

[The Ron Mexico]

Why stop there. Just send in the national guard.

Can any of the Guard guys play OLB? They get drug tested at least yearly, so maybe that won’t be an issue.

 

[tnutater]

I think it is safe to assume that up until last January the Governor did run UT athletics (Haslam). How did that work out for us?

The family still has tremendous influence over the football program.
They never went away.
They damn sure were not run off by idiots on twitter.

 

[The Ron Mexico]

@Bill_Lee - Do you see this? FIX IT!

 

[golfballs]

The state should install a toll on I-75 south so all the Ohioans driving into Tennessee must pay $20 to enter the state. The proceeds go to the athletic department. It will be the largest transfer of wealth this country has ever seen.

 

[TNREADER]

I'm an old fart and a 40 yr season ticket holder. As far back as I can remember the athletic dept has stood on its own financially, with the exception of funding of the scholarships. However, when the athletic department was profitable, they would donate millions to the academic side, as funding toward the scholarships. Forgetting about contracts hanging over the athletic department, Covid has obviously been a big hit on the department, but on academics as well. There is no way state legislators are going to do anything for an athletic department before the financial issues on the academic side are resolved.

Not UT related, but you are likely to see many small private colleges go under, or dramatically cut their athletic departments. Athletic wise, these small private schools don't have TV contracts, with gate receipts, donations, and funding from the academic side as the primary sources of cash. Finances were tight before, but Covid may be the last straw.

 

[R481967]

You do realize that most of the revenue goes back to the the football department right? The goverment would really only make money on sales taxes and even that is barely a dent in the overall budget of the gov.

Given that monies earned in the football program are separated to the athletic department and not the University coffers proper, it would seem that the athletic department would be exposed and sensitive to falling revenues, like, oh, FROM DONATIONS AND TICKET SALES.

People who say that fans have no voice on The Hill are wrong. Your influence is in your hip pocket or purse. It'ls why Fulmer lost his job... 55,000 in Neyland Stadium is a grim picture