Athletic director fund

[ThePanthers]

Message from Pitt Athletics and the Panther Club - Pitt Panthers #H2P

The Panther Club is proud to reintroduce the Athletic Director's Fund, a forward-thinking giving option that is strategically designed to strengthen Pitt's position

pittsburghpanthers.com

Reintroducing the athletic directors fund.

 

[ratking17]

I dont know what this is? How is this different from alliance 412 and the panther club? I feel I need a flow chart to know where my money needs to go

 

[snaphook297]

Agreed. It appears e exempt from tax for a 401k rmd

 

[cruzer]

Message from Pitt Athletics and the Panther Club - Pitt Panthers #H2P

The Panther Club is proud to reintroduce the Athletic Director's Fund, a forward-thinking giving option that is strategically designed to strengthen Pitt's position

pittsburghpanthers.com

Reintroducing the athletic directors fund.

Who the heck wrote that press release? Lots of words.....no substance leaving many questions unanswered. How does the House ruling impact the athletic department? What the heck are they going to DO with the money? Is it intended for facilities? NIL supplemental payments to athletes? I can't speak for others but I'm not interested in pouring money into a black hole with hopes that something good comes out of it.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

No thanks, I'll pass on this one. I'm waiting for the release on how the University is going to step up their support of Pitt athletics, rather than continuing to try an milk the existing base. Go spend your time fishing for new whales, or figuring out how to cut $100m off the volleyball palazzo project.

Before I get attacked by the resident administration apologists, I've supported the athletics department for 25+ years. I'm closer to calling it quits than contributing to another fund.

 

[pafootballguy]

That 20+ million has to come from somewhere or they are going to give in house NIL a shot.

 

[Las Panteras]

Does anyone here think Mr Greene didnt know what he was getting into?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Who the heck wrote that press release? Lots of words.....no substance leaving many questions unanswered. How does the House ruling impact the athletic department? What the heck are they going to DO with the money? Is it intended for facilities? NIL supplemental payments to athletes? I can't speak for others but I'm not interested in pouring money into a black hole with hopes that something good comes out of it.

They probably arent allowed to say it yet but I think this is the pool of money, which will directly pay the players. So you can get Panther Club points AND pay the players. So A412 and Panther Club will be obsolete.

 

[BurghGuy68]

They probably arent allowed to say it yet but I think this is the pool of money, which will directly pay the players. So you can get Panther Club points AND pay the players. So A412 and Panther Club will be obsolete.

I assume that this new AD fund is going to replace/enhance Panther Club and will be the umbrella fund to also fund NIL (Alliance412). I think this is smart. Something new and different from PC that AD Greene can sell to donors.

The tax deductibility with this (versus NIL) is how you get the big whales whose advisors want them to do charitable donations to lower taxes.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

They probably arent allowed to say it yet but I think this is the pool of money, which will directly pay the players. So you can get Panther Club points AND pay the players. So A412 and Panther Club will be obsolete.

Yeah, pretty sure that's what this is.

Don't know that it renders A412 obsolete, though. Well, maybe at Pitt it will. But other schools will absolutely still have NIL collectives that enable them to pay players above and beyond what this pay-for-play salary cap model allows.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

They probably arent allowed to say it yet but I think this is the pool of money, which will directly pay the players. So you can get Panther Club points AND pay the players. So A412 and Panther Club will be obsolete.

Just say what it is, or wait until you can. Why put some vague and confusing release out there?

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yeah, pretty sure that's what this is.

Don't know that it renders A412 obsolete, though. Well, maybe at Pitt it will. But other schools will absolutely still have NIL collectives that enable them to pay players above and beyond what this pay-for-play salary cap model allows.

Pitt really cant have both. Maybe A412 can become an Olympic Sports Collective. But Pitt and Greene need to spend every amount of effort to get their pro athletes paid. Not sure how a donation to a player salary pool could be tax deductible though so maybe that isnt what this is.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Pitt really cant have both. Maybe A412 can become an Olympic Sports Collective. But Pitt and Greene need to spend every amount of effort to get their pro athletes paid. Not sure how a donation to a player salary pool could be tax deductible though so maybe that isnt what this is.

I believe it will be tax deductible.

 

[ThePanthers]

I agree it could be more clear. You have your panther club stuff, alliance 412 and now this. How do they all tie in

 

[Panther Holla]

No thanks, I'll pass on this one. I'm waiting for the release on how the University is going to step up their support of Pitt athletics, rather than continuing to try an milk the existing base. Go spend your time fishing for new whales, or figuring out how to cut $100m off the volleyball palazzo project.

Before I get attacked by the resident administration apologists, I've supported the athletics department for 25+ years. I'm closer to calling it quits than contributing to another fund.

I’m ahead of you. Closed my wallet after 42 years. Aftermarket tix only. I’ve lost faith in the University’s commitment to football.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

I’m ahead of you. Closed my wallet after 42 years. Aftermarket tix only. I’ve lost faith in the University’s commitment to football.

Yeah, I'm done. Word is we're going to get pounded in the portal (well, relative to what little talent we do have). No sense burning your money like that. I'll just watch the more interesting programs in college football and limit my rooting interests to the Steelers.

 

[Panther Holla]

Yeah, I'm done. Word is we're going to get pounded in the portal (well, relative to what little talent we do have). No sense burning your money like that. I'll just watch the more interesting programs in college football and limit my rooting interests to the Steelers.

Pitt will always be #1 with me, as the Pirates are. But I am a realist, so I follow the Red Sox as well. Hard for me to have an affinity for any other school, but I like Colorado. And on a much lower scale, my Alma mater is alive in the D3 playoffs.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Pitt will always be #1 with me, as the Pirates are. But I am a realist, so I follow the Red Sox as well. Hard for me to have an affinity for any other school, but I like Colorado. And on a much lower scale, my Alma mater is alive in the D3 playoffs.

I just enjoy college football in general. I don't typically watch NFL games that don't involve the Steelers, but for college I can watch just about any team play.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Yeah, I'm done. Word is we're going to get pounded in the portal (well, relative to what little talent we do have). No sense burning your money like that. I'll just watch the more interesting programs in college football and limit my rooting interests to the Steelers.

They should just spend their NIL money on volleyball and basketball to build some dynasty type programs before the ACC crumbles and the well dries up. And by that I mean pay the players more than other programs. We could probably triple the football NIL spending and it won't matter.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Yeah, I'm done. Word is we're going to get pounded in the portal (well, relative to what little talent we do have). No sense burning your money like that. I'll just watch the more interesting programs in college football and limit my rooting interests to the Steelers.

I've said this before but Pitt needs to do something really drastic. Like make season tickets $1 with a $1000 donation to the player salary fund. Im being a little sarcastic, but just a little. Yea, that crushes football revenue BUT you need players. What good is revenue if you can't buy players. The general university fund can pay whatever deficit that football runs up.

Just hoping people are going to spend extra dollars on players AFTER their season ticket purchase is unrealistic.

 

[Las Panteras]

The most intriguing part of Pitt Athletics at the moment is not the misery of football or the excitement around hoops, volleyball and soccer

To me, i am most interested in what type of AD will Mr Greene become, while here at Pitt.

Will he be able to up the NIL? What will he eventually do with Narduzzi? Conference turmoil? Scheduling?

Does he have a mandate and plan to bring Pitt into the upper reaches?

Or will he suddenly realize this gig isnt what he thought....his efforts have proven fruitless and he is now interviewing for every opening out there?

This is my most interesting storyline going forward.

 

[Panther Holla]

I just enjoy college football in general. I don't typically watch NFL games that don't involve the Steelers, but for college I can watch just about any team play.

Same here. Any college game I can pick a side. And rooting against PSU never gets old.

 

[PittPharm2002]

They should just spend their NIL money on volleyball and basketball to build some dynasty type programs before the ACC crumbles and the well dries up. And by that I mean pay the players more than other programs. We could probably triple the football NIL spending and it won't matter.

This is your most reasonable take

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Either the university has to be willing to bankroll certain athletics programs, or you need to land a couple whales. And please don't give me the university isn't allowed to do this, or to do that. There's plenty of different ways to get around it.

The fact of the matter is they won't be able to support the athletic department if they give up on football, so the spend it on basketball and volleyball thought isn't a sustainable plan when a majority of your donations come from football.

 

[TD_6082]

Either the university has to be willing to bankroll certain athletics programs, or you need to land a couple whales. And please don't give me the university isn't allowed to do this, or to do that. There's plenty of different ways to get around it.

The fact of the matter is they won't be able to support the athletic department if they give up on football, so the spend it on basketball and volleyball thought isn't a sustainable plan when a majority of your donations come from football.

Virginia schools are now allowed to do this. If they aren't already doing this, they need to get on it.

I don't know what the hell the Virginia schools are doing with it, as it doesn't seem to be doing a lot of good. But it's only been a few months. Perhaps there are valid reasons for that.

Virginia law allows schools to pay athletes for NIL

Schools in Virginia will be able to directly pay athletes via name, image and likeness deals thanks to a state law signed Thursday morning.

www.espn.com

 

[ThePanthers]

Either the university has to be willing to bankroll certain athletics programs, or you need to land a couple whales. And please don't give me the university isn't allowed to do this, or to do that. There's plenty of different ways to get around it.

The fact of the matter is they won't be able to support the athletic department if they give up on football, so the spend it on basketball and volleyball thought isn't a sustainable plan when a majority of your donations come from football.

The university already bankrolls a large part of football and all sports. They dump millions in every year. They don’t have unlimited sources like some believe and still need to maintain all of their teams.

Teams with large donor bases and support will be the ones with the edge and advantage. And it’s only going to widen.

 

[CrazyPaco]

I agree it could be more clear. You have your panther club stuff, alliance 412 and now this. How do they all tie in

It's just a giving fund like the various Championship giving funds or the Student-Athlete Success Fund. It appears to be a discretionary fund, not unlike similar ones on the academic side, which the AD can target to his priorities, which sounds like it will be eventually for payments to players, or similar, once that is standardized or legalized. This doesn't replace the Panther Club at all, it is just another fund under the Panther Club.

 

[CrazyPaco]

The university already bankrolls a large part of football and all sports. They dump millions in every year. They don’t have unlimited sources like some believe and still need to maintain all of their teams.

Teams with large donor bases and support will be the ones with the edge and advantage. And it’s only going to widen.

The university is dumping more into athletics than it ever had in its history and has had more success in recent history than probably any time in the last 30 years. I'm not talking about the revenue that it gets from the ACC either, but actual university funds being put into athletics. Meanwhile, the booster giving is still at the bottom of the ACC and all of the power 5, as it always has been. The fans, on average, are messaging the university that they don't care about athletics, not vice versa.

But then, there is this weird reality distortion bubble where feelings trump facts, so it must all be about the university's lack of commitment as to why we don't feel good about how the football season ended.

 

[ThePanthers]

The university is dumping more into athletics than it ever had in its history and has had more success in recent history than probably any time in the last 30 years. I'm not talking about the revenue that it gets from the ACC either, but actual university funds being put into athletics. Meanwhile, the booster giving is still at the bottom of the ACC and all of the power 5, as it always has been. The fans are messaging the university that they don't care about athletics, not vice versa.

But then, there is this weird reality distortion bubble where feelings trump facts, so it must all be about the university's lack of commitment as to why we don't feel good about how the football season ended.

Amen. Personally, at some point, the university will just put their hands up and say f it. The fans won’t support anything but perfection and even then that is questionable.

 

[ThePanthers]

It's just a giving fund like the various Championship giving funds or the Student-Athlete Success Fund. It appears to be a discretionary fund, not unlike similar ones on the academic side, which the AD can target to his priorities, which sounds like it will be eventually for payments to players, or similar, once that is standardized or legalized. This doesn't replace the Panther Club at all, it is just another fund under the Panther Club.

Thank you. I saw in the email that every $50 gets you 3 priority points so I figured it was tied somehow to the panther club. I just didn’t know exactly what it was supporting.

 

[CrazyPaco]

Thank you. I saw in the email that every $50 gets you 3 priority points so I figured it was tied somehow to the panther club. I just didn’t know exactly what it was supporting.

Yes, the bonus points are the carrot and one worth taking advantage of, say, if you are trying to make sure you get into a good tailgating lot.

But yes, the description of what the fund will be used for is intentionally non-specific, which is why I think, based on the wording, it is currently being construed as a discretionary fund. Maybe because payouts to players directly from universities hasn't yet been finalized and legalized, the AD is just starting to gear up for that sooner than later which is smart. As any discretionary fund, they also don't want to be hamstrung by stated donor intent or unexpected legal or legislative processes outside of their control.

However, if donors want to target specific areas of the athletic department to support, there are plenty of sports specific funds. And if they for sure want to support player payments, well then there is Alliance 412 which also now awards priority points, just not in a tax deductible way.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

The university is dumping more into athletics than it ever had in its history and has had more success in recent history than probably any time in the last 30 years. I'm not talking about the revenue that it gets from the ACC either, but actual university funds being put into athletics. Meanwhile, the booster giving is still at the bottom of the ACC and all of the power 5, as it always has been. The fans, on average, are messaging the university that they don't care about athletics, not vice versa.

But then, there is this weird reality distortion bubble where feelings trump facts, so it must all be about the university's lack of commitment as to why we don't feel good about how the football season ended.

What's going to screw Pitt is the Indianas and Purdues of the world being conscientious of their place in the Big 2 and not wanting to lose those spots. They'll step up their spending games to show they're serious about competing -- goodness knows they'll now have the means.

Only path I see for Pitt is if someone steps up and buys us a roster that galvanizes fan interest and allows us to add a significant fee to the season tickets. Fans aren't just going to suddenly realize the importance of them funding the program and open their checkbooks accordingly.

 

[TD_6082]

What's going to screw Pitt is the Indianas and Purdues of the world being conscientious of their place in the Big 2 and not wanting to lose those spots. They'll step up their spending games to show they're serious about competing -- goodness knows they'll now have the means.

Only path I see for Pitt is if someone steps up and buys us a roster that galvanizes fan interest and allows us to add a significant fee to the season tickets. Fans aren't just going to suddenly realize the importance of them funding the program and open their checkbooks accordingly.

That's going to be damn near impossible to accomplish in a place like Pittsburgh. Even if Pitt was a yearly National Title contender, that pales as what takes place in the same stadium on fall Sundays. College football is an inferior product & the Steelers are an iconic franchise.

 

[CrazyPaco]

What's going to screw Pitt is the Indianas and Purdues of the world being conscientious of their place in the Big 2 and not wanting to lose those spots. They'll step up their spending games to show they're serious about competing -- goodness knows they'll now have the means.

Only path I see for Pitt is if someone steps up and buys us a roster that galvanizes fan interest and allows us to add a significant fee to the season tickets. Fans aren't just going to suddenly realize the importance of them funding the program and open their checkbooks accordingly.

Pitt won an ACC championship, appeared in a NY6 bowl, and had back-to-back top 25 finishes right on the cusp of NIL taking off and it barely budged the fan base.

It's not the Purdues and Indianas that are keeping Pitt football where it is, nor is it the university. Every fan on this message board knows what is going on in college athletics. It Just Means Less.

 

[TD_6082]

Pitt won an ACC championship, appeared in a NY6 bowl, and had back-to-back top 25 finishes right on the cusp of NIL taking off and it barely budged the fan base.

It's not the Purdues and Indianas that are keeping Pitt football where it is, nor is it the university. Every fan on this message board knows what is going on in college athletics.

This is spot on.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Pitt won an ACC championship, appeared in a NY6 bowl, and had back-to-back top 25 finishes right on the cusp of NIL taking off and it barely budged the fan base.

It's not the Purdues and Indianas that are keeping Pitt football where it is, nor is it the university.

The dynamic was nowhere near similar when Pitt won the ACC. Most people didn't understand what NIL even was back then. And winning the ACC didn't get us to a national championship tournament, either, which is a language yinzers speak.

People are a little more educated now on the importance of NIL/other funding. I don't even know that Alliance 412 existed at the time.

 

[TD_6082]

The dynamic was nowhere near similar when Pitt won the ACC. Most people didn't understand what NIL even was back then. And winning the ACC didn't get us to a national championship tournament, either, which is a language yinzers speak.

People are a little more educated now on the importance of NIL/other funding. I don't even know that Alliance 412 existed at the time.

But once people are educated on NIL, the transfer portal, and how it works in reality, would that make people more or less likely to give? It's essentially throwing money away.

 

[HailtoPitt]

Pitt won an ACC championship, appeared in a NY6 bowl, and had back-to-back top 25 finishes right on the cusp of NIL taking off and it barely budged the fan base.

It's not the Purdues and Indianas that are keeping Pitt football where it is, nor is it the university. Every fan on this message board knows what is going on in college athletics. It Just Means Less.

So why does it mean less?

 

[HailtoPitt]

Either the university has to be willing to bankroll certain athletics programs, or you need to land a couple whales. And please don't give me the university isn't allowed to do this, or to do that. There's plenty of different ways to get around it.

The fact of the matter is they won't be able to support the athletic department if they give up on football, so the spend it on basketball and volleyball thought isn't a sustainable plan when a majority of your donations come from football.

My point is that Pitt isn't going to be able to compete even with 2x100% of the NIL money going to football. Maybe they eek out another win or two. So knowing this, where can that money be most useful? They have a short window to get some national titles in volleyball and even basketball, because once the ACC crumbles, it will be over.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

The university already bankrolls a large part of football and all sports. They dump millions in every year. They don’t have unlimited sources like some believe and still need to maintain all of their teams.

Teams with large donor bases and support will be the ones with the edge and advantage. And it’s only going to widen.

There are two sports that make money. The rest are all lose money.

What do in state and out of state tuition payments look like for scholarship athletes versus the general Pitt student population?

What value is free advertising for Pitt at every sporting event and every televised sporting event?

What do merch sales look like without athletics?

Corporate sponsorships, donations, etc.. , athletics attracts them which can help the academic side capitalize on it.

I'm not even going to get into how legitimate some of the numbers that go into the OPE data are. The fact is that universities wouldn't be financing athletics if they weren't benefiting tremendously from it.