Just going to hope for the best
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Younger Generation Has Declining Basketball Interest
- Thread starter Im The Village Idiot
- Start date
What are your concerns with the new AD and him negatively impacting basketball?
I’m sorry but what are you referring to? What new AD comments? Has the MSU AD been officially hired?
Also, I feel like a lot of the things that got Barnhart pushed out (you know, was about to be ambassador for life and all this other nonsense) was how bad the bball program was this year. Stoops has been on the decline for a while but the bball program looking destitute is what caused all the big boosters to start revolting, so I can’t imagine bball isn’t going to be a priority.
Also, I feel like a lot of the things that got Barnhart pushed out (you know, was about to be ambassador for life and all this other nonsense) was how bad the bball program was this year. Stoops has been on the decline for a while but the bball program looking destitute is what caused all the big boosters to start revolting, so I can’t imagine bball isn’t going to be a priority.
It is believed that he will be a very football-focused AD.
This is something I’m fine with as long as basketball makes no concessions.
I’m not confident that will be the case, though. Some will cite that he had support from Oats and Izzo, which is true, but make no mistake — this could be a guy who will see football as the crown of the program. There’s a financial conversation to be had there, but I believe a lot of it is based off a lot of false assumptions.
I did not have a fun day on KSBoard.
"It's imperative that we support all our sports, but do not be confused. Every athletics department competing at the highest level must be successful in football. So, Coach Izzo and I have already talked. Coach is the biggest supporter of our football program there is. We'll do everything we possibly can to dive in. Help Coach Smith and continue to drive excellence and support you in all you need. While continuing to provide championship level resources for all of our programs."
- J Blatt
- J Blatt
This is the quote that prompted everything. The issue isn’t wanting to be successful in football. We all want that. The issue is priority.
We are competing in an environment where Duke, Michigan, etc can out-money us already across sports and I don’t think we are catching them.
My concern is you also have Big East schools who don’t have to put eggs in football which costs much more money than basketball.
So far, harmless right?
When the topic came up about priority, had so many people outright stating they would trade football wins for basketball wins, basketball is irrelevant, about time to stop putting eggs in the wrong basket, etc.
At first I thought this was just a football centric thread but it became more and more apparent that my view is the minority view. I worry about the future.
We are competing in an environment where Duke, Michigan, etc can out-money us already across sports and I don’t think we are catching them.
My concern is you also have Big East schools who don’t have to put eggs in football which costs much more money than basketball.
So far, harmless right?
When the topic came up about priority, had so many people outright stating they would trade football wins for basketball wins, basketball is irrelevant, about time to stop putting eggs in the wrong basket, etc.
At first I thought this was just a football centric thread but it became more and more apparent that my view is the minority view. I worry about the future.
Hmm, but Michigan State basketball has had continued success despite that comment. UK is multiple tiers above them in basketball in terms of importance and we have big time donors with basketball leans.
I am not worried. I am excited for the possibility of football turning it up a notch, though. Texas football is great, and they just invested heavily into basketball. It can be done for us
Texas has oil money. Dropping $40M on basketball and then another $100M on football is feasible for them in the future. Same thing for Michigan and Duke. We have money too but not like that.
JATs talking nonsense. Don’t let ‘em rain on your parade. The future is bright.
Something I’ve noticed from being around my grandsons , nephews., and their friends . They seem to be bigger fans of individual players than teams . They LOVED Cooper Flagg , AJ Dybantsa, Boozer .
In order to protect privacy of people, I’ll list no names but here are some of the posts related to this topic:
I get that but I think a lot of our fans underestimate the amount of people that would prefer us to be playoff contenders in football over basketball. There is a gigantic portion of our fanbase (including myself) that was around in the 90s or earlier and saw the dominance. There are now kids in high school that don’t even remember ever seeing us in the final four.
Football is a more popular sport around the country and if you’re not dominating in basketball, you’re going to lose some of that passion in our younger fans who won’t care that we won 4 titles before their grandparents were born.
I think there is plenty of money for both. But we are in the SEC so football must eat first.
It’s ok Big Blue Cleetus! Long Live Basketball!!!
College basketball is my 4th favorite collegiate sport to watch behind football, baseball, and volleyball. The amount of money that goes into it compared to the entertainment I get out of it is a terrible ROI.
I would trade any amount of basketball wins for football wins.
The days of basketball eating first at UK ends with Mitch. By definition the modernization of the athletics program is putting a priority on football being good.
Everything in college athletics begins and ends with college football. If you aren’t competitive there, nothing else you do matters.
Basketball is an afterthought until March for all but a handful of teams. Football is king.
UK buttered the wrong side of the bread for many decades. If basketball is losing ground, it’s not for lack of support.
90% of the country only cares about college basketball for 1 month out of the year. College football generates interest literally all year. Give me a consistent annual CFP contender and I don’t care what happens to the basketball program.
I get that but I think a lot of our fans underestimate the amount of people that would prefer us to be playoff contenders in football over basketball. There is a gigantic portion of our fanbase (including myself) that was around in the 90s or earlier and saw the dominance. There are now kids in high school that don’t even remember ever seeing us in the final four.
Football is a more popular sport around the country and if you’re not dominating in basketball, you’re going to lose some of that passion in our younger fans who won’t care that we won 4 titles before their grandparents were born.
I think there is plenty of money for both. But we are in the SEC so football must eat first.
It’s ok Big Blue Cleetus! Long Live Basketball!!!
College basketball is my 4th favorite collegiate sport to watch behind football, baseball, and volleyball. The amount of money that goes into it compared to the entertainment I get out of it is a terrible ROI.
I would trade any amount of basketball wins for football wins.
The days of basketball eating first at UK ends with Mitch. By definition the modernization of the athletics program is putting a priority on football being good.
Everything in college athletics begins and ends with college football. If you aren’t competitive there, nothing else you do matters.
Basketball is an afterthought until March for all but a handful of teams. Football is king.
UK buttered the wrong side of the bread for many decades. If basketball is losing ground, it’s not for lack of support.
90% of the country only cares about college basketball for 1 month out of the year. College football generates interest literally all year. Give me a consistent annual CFP contender and I don’t care what happens to the basketball program.
Football is the money maker. If you have an elite football program, it can support all other sports.
The best thing that can happen for KY basketball in this new era of NIL, is for UK to become a powerhouse football program.
We all need to be pulling for Stein to get us there.
Basketball will follow.
NIL has changed everything.
The best thing that can happen for KY basketball in this new era of NIL, is for UK to become a powerhouse football program.
We all need to be pulling for Stein to get us there.
Basketball will follow.
NIL has changed everything.
I agree with what you’re saying. I have no problem with generating more money due to football, but I don’t want basketball to take even a small back step.
And I do genuinely think Stein can be a game changer for us. I just hope our fanbase isn’t burning out on our flagship program
Great, insightful and honest post, TVI.
I've tended to wonder, now that "money comes through the front door" and KY is a moderately-populated state with two (2) major schools, if a big part of the problem going forward is that most of the ardent and emotionally-invested fans are not the ones willing or able to contribute enough NUL$$$ money to UK athletics to compete in this new world. I also agree and see that younger folks are nowhere near as avid and dedicated to Kentucky basketball and football as in previous decades. I am sure Sociologists are studying this and developing theories about the reasons.
I've tended to wonder, now that "money comes through the front door" and KY is a moderately-populated state with two (2) major schools, if a big part of the problem going forward is that most of the ardent and emotionally-invested fans are not the ones willing or able to contribute enough NUL$$$ money to UK athletics to compete in this new world. I also agree and see that younger folks are nowhere near as avid and dedicated to Kentucky basketball and football as in previous decades. I am sure Sociologists are studying this and developing theories about the reasons.
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UK has more money than most fans will ever know about. No school will outbid UK in any sport if the money people don't want it to happen. And while there may be many people just like mentioned, they do not have the money. The real money at UK is for basketball.
UK has 3 billionaires that will stroke a check for whatever is needed basketball wise. They will consider football too. But only if it doesn't interfere with the crown jewel.
And that's not even counting the horse industry money. Although the largest donor is also tied to the horse industry too. And that's not even touching the Saudi money.
UK basketball has some problems. Money is not one.
UK has 3 billionaires that will stroke a check for whatever is needed basketball wise. They will consider football too. But only if it doesn't interfere with the crown jewel.
And that's not even counting the horse industry money. Although the largest donor is also tied to the horse industry too. And that's not even touching the Saudi money.
UK basketball has some problems. Money is not one.
You have to remember, diehard UK football fan (i.e. the ones that would take football success over basketball) have always been a super vocal minority. They are always going to bark the loudest and for them, every dollar spent on UK basketball was a dollar that the football team was shorted.
Football team might make the CFP once in ten years no matter what we do.
I’ll take that but I want basketball success again. That is our identify and our differentiator.
Look at Stoops’ best seasons, what happened afterwards? Jack squat.
Football team might make the CFP once in ten years no matter what we do.
I’ll take that but I want basketball success again. That is our identify and our differentiator.
Look at Stoops’ best seasons, what happened afterwards? Jack squat.
Younger fans don’t care much about basketball. That’s the TLDR version, Vek.
To a surprising level of not caring.
Here is an article to consider in this discussion:
www.cnbc.com
CNBC's Official College Sports Valuations 2025: Top 75 athletic programs
The programs are worth a combined $51.22 billion, 13% more than the top 75 in last year's rankings.
www.cnbc.com
I guess the flip side is that if football is generating more money (assuming our continued success) that should help basketball in other indirect ways. A rising tide raises all ships, sort of thing.
A good portion of this board thinks Pope had great success in his first year. The mediocrity is already upon us.
I hope so.
My greater concern is the apathy, rather than the comments by the AD himself. As UKJenning said, it doesn’t require pitting one against the other. A good football team may help in the new era.
But apathy is a deathblow.
That’s true. But most of the real decision makers don’t even know this board exists.
this is now the second post of yours I’ve read where you equate Saudi Arabians buying horses that happen to run in the derby with Saudia Arabia giving money to basketball players to play basketball for UK. It’s such a preposterous leap that I thought you were joking the first time you posted it.
It’s been recognized for decades that it’s football that pays the bills.
No concerns here with that statement.
No concerns here with that statement.
I don't think OP realizes how much dough a good SEC/B1G football program generates. We can become a dual-sport school.
No I can’t pretend to be an expert on the finances there.
My greater concern was the apathy of the fanbase.
That doesn't matter. Some people like football more than basketball. But, if football is good, it will make so much money, that we can invest in basketball heavily. Look at Texas. Florida in the 2000s. Indiana right now.
Suppose you are wrong theoretically and we can’t support both to a maximum capacity and something has to take a slight backseat.
The younger fans will choose to bring basketball back some to bring forward football. I’m already convinced this is going to happen eventually.
Basketball is not the focus for the under 40s that it is for the older fans.
Agree mostly, UK bball should always take care of itself but we need a football program that is great, not just good. Yep, there are some of us who want to excel at football and have wanted it for years - hopefully now, we can get that now that cheating is legal.
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I think you see more of these posts since there are no longer a board for each sport. I’m betting you spent more time on the basketball board. Football has grown in popularity across the entire country and Kentucky is no exception. The NFL is the national sport. As a result it is football that drives the dollars. You are absolutely correct that we will be unable to even match , much less outspend a goodly number of other schools even though there are people on this board who think we are capable. And if we fail they will find someone to blame it on. We should hope that something is done to stop the madness but it’s going to take until a good number of schools are incapable of competing
If this guy is hired I think he'll recognize that basketball is a pretty big deal around here. If he doesn't; he'll be made aware. Early and often.
This may be the weirdest thread on Rupp Rafters in weeks, and that's saying something as the average daily content is rarely better than goofy.
Let me see if I have this straight: The huge threat to the basketball program regaining its status as Greatest of All Time is -- wait for it -- an energetic, aggressive Athletic Director who raises so much money that the Football program has a fighting chance to succeed. A new AD will be so focused on football that he will ignore the overwhelming public opinion among alumni and the ENTIRE STATE that raising the basketball program is the single most important duty he'll have, as he pours all the money he successfully raises into football, starving the one program Kentuckians have taken pride in for 80 years. . That's the theory?
Well, maybe Kentucky will get lucky and Mitch Barnhart will withdraw his resignation and his brand of mediocrity can continue indefinitely. If I understand this bizarre thinking, that would be a GOOD thing.
Let me see if I have this straight: The huge threat to the basketball program regaining its status as Greatest of All Time is -- wait for it -- an energetic, aggressive Athletic Director who raises so much money that the Football program has a fighting chance to succeed. A new AD will be so focused on football that he will ignore the overwhelming public opinion among alumni and the ENTIRE STATE that raising the basketball program is the single most important duty he'll have, as he pours all the money he successfully raises into football, starving the one program Kentuckians have taken pride in for 80 years. . That's the theory?
Well, maybe Kentucky will get lucky and Mitch Barnhart will withdraw his resignation and his brand of mediocrity can continue indefinitely. If I understand this bizarre thinking, that would be a GOOD thing.
Disrespectful misrepresentation of what I said…and you missed the point. All good though, at least you showed me up rather than getting what I’m saying.
You spend a lot of time worrying, that’ll give you an ulcer.
Blatt seems like the ideal candidate to improve UK football AND basketball. This dude isnt an idiot and one of the most important things for fundraising in Kentucky is having an elite basketball program. The last thing we need is an AD who doesn't understand how football money can be used to help basketball.
I’m sorry but maybe I missed it, did they officially hire an AD?