Georgia

The economics of winning championships: How Georgia is profiting, what it will do with it

Published

1 year ago

February 8, 2023

The economics of winning championships: How Georgia is profiting, what it will do with it

ATHENS, Ga. — In terms of bean counting and massive concepts, this could appear to be the best time for Georgia’s athletic division. The soccer crew is coming off two straight championships, and completely satisfied followers have looser wallets. The key facility initiatives for that soccer program have wound down, seeming to liberate all that new income for brand spanking new priorities.

That’s partly the case. However solely partly.

Georgia introduced Wednesday that its income for the 2021-22 fiscal 12 months — protecting the primary nationwide championship season — was $203 million, up significantly from $179 million within the final pre-COVID fiscal 12 months. (It was $169 million the COVID 12 months, with the assistance of the SEC’s one-time $30 million fee to every faculty to offset COVID.)

So sure, there’s a championship dividend. All that merchandise, together with T-shirts and hats and bumper stickers? Georgia’s licensing income was $7 million for the 2021-22 fiscal 12 months, which Georgia athletics CFO Stephanie Ransom stated was a “vital improve.” This system additionally noticed a heavy improve in donations, elevating an all-time file $86.4 million and trending to surpass that within the present 12 months.

However the division says it solely has an actual surplus of about $287,000. That’s a lot lower than it seems on the monetary report filed to the NCAA — which might be $34 million — athletic director Josh Brooks stated that’s as a result of the NCAA doesn’t depend a number of key objects, most notably $25.7 million in capital undertaking expenditures.

“I want we had a $34 million surplus,” Brooks stated.

Nonetheless, Brooks didn’t dispute that Georgia is pulling in some huge cash, with the income from the just-released report positive to be related for the present fiscal 12 months, contemplating soccer success. Add in that the capital undertaking expenditures would appear to be lesser sooner or later, because the Butts-Mehre soccer and athletic division enlargement not too long ago was accomplished, and it’s straightforward to assume the division is about to be flush with cash.

Josh Brooks’ Georgia athletic division is reaping the advantages of the Bulldogs soccer crew profitable two straight nationwide titles. (Joshua L. Jones / USA Immediately)

Brooks, nevertheless, identified that Georgia is already within the midst of facility initiatives for different groups. He launched a capital marketing campaign final 12 months, aiming to boost $300 million throughout the subsequent 5 years to assist all applications, utilizing soccer as a launching level to assist this system as an entire.

And he acknowledged the significance of not falling behind in soccer. So Brooks sees this new income as an opportunity to be good with cash.

“I do really feel like these subsequent 5 years are going to offer us a possibility to catch up in some key areas,” Brooks stated. “What we wish to do with the tennis indoor (facility), the continued work with Sanford (Stadium), getting baseball and softball enhancements. I’d prefer to get to some extent the place we’re not catching anymore, we’re shifting forward in services. Services are clearly at all times going to be vital. You’ve at all times acquired an inventory of stuff you’d prefer to assault, it’s only a matter of prioritizing it. And you’re employed that record.”

There are additionally new expenditures on this age of soccer. Funds to all student-athletes for education-related bills, so-called “Alston funds” popping out of the Supreme Courtroom ruling, amounted to a little bit greater than $3 million final 12 months.

There even have been raises for coaches, with Kirby Sensible’s annual wage going from simply greater than $7 million to simply greater than $11 million. Brooks himself additionally acquired a increase final 12 months, from $800,000 to $855,000, and it’ll go as much as $940,000 on July 1 after which $1.03 million per 12 months later. (That’s nonetheless on the decrease finish of SEC athletic administrators, greater than half of whom make at the least $1 million.)

There was a $3.2 million buyout for firing Tom Crean as males’s basketball coach.

Inflation additionally has had an influence, whether or not it’s in crew journey, meals or different issues which have impacted crew budgets. The elevated value of building additionally has delayed some ongoing initiatives, similar to Foley Area.

And never all donations instantly go into this system’s coffers: Brooks stated all $34 million of the donations final fiscal 12 months to the Magill Society — this system’s elite fundraising arm — went on to capital initiatives.

Nonetheless, Georgia (like most if not all in faculty athletics) is again to pre-COVID income and working ranges, Brooks confirmed. Income for SEC applications additionally will go up when the brand new tv broadcast with Disney comes into impact subsequent 12 months, particularly if it coincides with Oklahoma and Texas becoming a member of the SEC.

The championship divide is most distinguished when taking a look at previous Georgia monetary reviews: For the 2016-17 fiscal 12 months, the primary of the Sensible period, Georgia reported income at $123.8 million. The following 12 months, after the surprising run to the nationwide championship sport, it spiked to $176.7 million. Whereas a very good chunk of that was fundraising for services (principally the Sanford Stadium West finish zone undertaking) it wasn’t due all to that.

Income stayed in that space throughout the subsequent few years, then spiked once more after the primary nationwide championship. A month in the past got here the second title.

“I at all times discuss direct return on funding and oblique return on funding,” Brooks stated. “Direct, you see contributions go up, multimedia rights as a result of we play in additional postseason video games, and there’s some escalators in multimedia contracts and licensing from all of the championship attire. So that you see that quick, direct return on funding. Then I at all times discuss oblique return, the place you’re constructing some lifelong followers, that 10-year-old who has now witnessed two nationwide championships and goes to be a Georgia fan the remainder of his life. That’s the long run.”

(High picture of Kirby Sensible, left, and Stetson Bennett: Jeffrey Vest / Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)

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Georgia

Game times, TV Networks set for Georgia football games against Kentucky, Florida

Published

3 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Press Room

Game times, TV Networks set for Georgia football games against Kentucky, Florida

Even with new TV partners, one of Georgia’s most important games will be staying in its usual time slot.

ESPN announced that Georgia’s game against Florida on Nov. 2 will be at 3:30 p.m. ET. Only instead of CBS airing the game, ABC will now do so.

This year’s game against Florida will have the added intrigue of Georgia having running back Trevor Etienne. The standout running back transferred into the Georgia program this offseason after spending the previous two seasons with Billy Napier and the Gators.

Etienne is expected to be Georgia’s top running back.

“He’s a good back. He’s quick in and out of the hole,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of Etienne following the spring game. “He’s different than what we’ve had. I think the Swift analogy is good. Cook’s analogy is good. He’s really taken a lot of personal pride in working on his protection. He had a nice pick up today. He’s learning the offense. Look, the guy’s been a good SEC player for two years. It’s not like he’s a freshman. He’s a really good player and a really good kid. I’ve been proud of the way he’s his deal.”

Georgia has won three straight games against the Gators, including both matchups against Napier. Since Smart became Georgia’s head coach, he is 6-2 against the rival Gators. The game will be played in Jacksonville, Fla.

The SEC broadcast partner also announced that Georgia’s Week 3 game against Kentucky will start at 7:30 p.m. ET and air on ABC.

The trip to Kentucky will see Georgia face off against former Georgia quarterback Brock Vandagriff and linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson, as both transferred into the program this offseason.

The matchup against Kentucky will be Georgia’s first road game of the season. Smart is 8-0 against Mark Stoops. The two coaches are the longest-tenured in the league.

Georgia beat Kentucky 51-13 when the two teams met in Sanford Stadium last season.

ESPN has announced game times for four of Georgia’s games now. The Bulldogs take on Clemson at 12 p.m. ET on ABC on Aug. 31 and Alabama on Sept. 28. The latter is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET start on ABC as well.

Georgia football-Florida game time, TV Network

Game time: 3:30 p.m. ET

TV Network: ABC

Date: Nov. 2

Location: Jacksonville, Fla.

Georgia football-Kentucky game time, TV Network

Game time: 7:30 p.m. ET

TV Network: ABC

Date: Sept. 14

Location: Lexington, Ky.

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Georgia

Georgia’s Supreme Court election: What to know ahead of the primary

Published

10 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Press Room

Georgia’s Supreme Court election: What to know ahead of the primary

Another Georgia election is right around the corner, and thanks to early voting, many residents have already cast their ballot. While partisan politics generally takes up the most airtime, one nonpartisan race has begun to make headlines this year: the battle over a state Supreme Court seat.

Though they are often much quieter than their partisan counterparts, judicial elections nonetheless play a crucial role in the lives of Georgia residents. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s judicial elections.

When are the next Georgia judicial elections?

Nonpartisan elections will be held as part of the Georgia state primary on Tuesday, May 21. Voters should check their My Voter Page at https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/ to view the most up-to-date information about their registration status, polling locations, and sample ballots.

Who is running for the Georgia Supreme Court in 2024?

Four sitting justices, John Ellington, Nels Peterson, Andrew Pinson and Chief Justice Michael P. Boggs are currently running for re-election. The newest member of the court, Andrew Pinson, is currently being challenged by former Democratic Congressman John Barrow.

Barrow recently made headlines by openly centering abortion rights in his Georgia Supreme Court campaign — a tactic that has made him the subject of an ethics complaint due to a state law that urges judicial candidates to “not make statements or promises that commit the candidate with respect to issues likely to come before the court that are inconsistent with the impartial performance of the adjudicative duties of judicial office.”

More: Mark your calendars: Here is every date you need to know to vote in Georgia in 2024

Barrow defended his position at the Atlanta Press Club Debates in April.

“Partiality has nothing to do with your opinions about the law,” he said. “As the root word implies, it entails feelings about the parties, being in favor of one party or another. The United States Supreme Court explained this a good while back when they said ‘impartiality,’ of the sort that judges should strive for, means you’re not going to favor one party over another.”

“Every person who’s expected to be a judge has to have strong feelings about the law,” Barrow continued. “If he doesn’t, he’s not qualified to serve on the court.”

Barrow filed a lawsuit in federal court in response to the complaint, arguing that it impedes his First Amendment right to free speech, but a judge has yet to issue a ruling.

Georgia elections: Important dates, how to register, and what to know ahead of 2024

What types of cases does the Georgia Supreme Court hear?

The Georgia Supreme Court is the highest judicial power in the state, and thus will review decisions in both civil and criminal cases made by lower courts across the state. The court has appellate jurisdiction over a wide variety of cases, including:

Constitutionality cases
Election contests
Cases involving title to land, divorce, wills or equity
Death sentence appeals
Habeas corpus (unlawful detention) cases
All cases involving extraordinary remedies

The nine justices will typically hear cases en banc, and assign one justice to write the court opinion. In order for a lower court decision to be overturned or reversed, at least five justices must concur.

How do Supreme Court elections work?

Unlike seats in the legislative or executive branch, justices on the supreme court are elected through a nonpartisan election process, and serve six-year terms. This year, four of the nine justices are running for re-election, with only one justice facing a primary challenger.

Although Supreme Court justices in Georgia are elected via popular vote, there is rarely an open seat on the court; new justices are almost always appointed by the governor to finish out their successor’s term, and will then run as an incumbent in the next election.

Though partisan politics don’t necessarily play a role in judicial campaigns, the overall composition of the court skews conservative. Out of the nine sitting justices, eight were appointed by Republican governors, including Pinson. The other was appointed to a state appellate court by a Democratic governor, and later won his seat unopposed.

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Georgia

Southwest Georgia Housing Task Force hosts 24th annual Housing Conference

Published

18 hours ago

May 14, 2024

Press Room

Southwest Georgia Housing Task Force hosts 24th annual Housing Conference

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) – On Tuesday, potential homebuyers, landlords and renters came together in Albany to navigate the challenges of affordable housing availability.

It was part of the Southwest Georgia Housing Task Force’s 24th annual housing conference. A panel of experts covered key topics such as building and developing new housing and finding resources for repairing homes. These are projects that are happening year-round.

“The areas that we deal with it may be the grant writing, it may be with dealing with developers, it may be with first-time home buyers, it may be with rental, it may be with fair housing or something in the area of what the need is. We really work to understand the need and meet the need,” said Patricia Fletcher-Edwards, branch manager of the NID Housing Council Agency.

Edwards says it has become even more critical to have these roundtable discussions in this climate of affordable housing.

To find out more about the Southwest Georgia Housing Task Force click here.

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To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app from the Apple Store or Google Play.

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