As you know, Kentucky fans want Florida's head coach to take over their 'troubled' program.Many of those fans believe that Kentucky is the top job in college basketball, that Billy Donovan would be insane not to come running to Lexington, and that Kentucky's fan support and ability to pay a top salary leaves Florida in the dust.
The pro-Florida part of my little SEC soul has been bothered by several of these beliefs, because by and large, many aren't true, or are, at best, misleading. Don't worry, Kentucky fans -- turnabout is fair play and there are areas in which Kentucky "plusses out" Florida. We'll look at those, too. But let's start by playing "Fact or Fiction?" with several of the top beliefs.
Fact or Fiction: Florida Can Only Sell out One or Two Games Per Year in the 12,000 Seat O'Connell Center.
Fiction. My father has been a basketball season ticket holder for over a decade. We personally attend most, if not all home basketball games. Every single home game is a sellout, including December cupcake matches with pre-season warmup opponents. The emptiest I've ever seen the O'Connell center was maybe one hundred seats shy of being fully filled, and that's due simply to season ticket holders occasionally not attending a lower-tier game. It's not at all uncommon to see visitors attempting to get tickets by holding fingers in the air prior to the tip, only to find none available and be forced to watch the game in one of Gainesville's sports bars. We've had the same nosebleed seats for the entire time we've had the tickets, and have had absolutely no chance of moving up in the queue to get better seats without big dollar donations to the University (and AOL doesn't pay me enough to do that.) Lastly, if you want to get season tickets, too bad -- you can't. They haven't been available for years.
Fact or Fiction: Florida Can't Afford to Match Kentucky's Salary Offer to Donovan.
Fiction. This is an example of where Lexington's basketball fetish gets the better of them, and they forget that a 90,000 seat football stadium makes a hell of a lot more money than a 23,000 seat basketball arena. Kentucky fans also seem to believe they have a stranglehold on the concepts of school pride and team support, but in truth the Gator Nation's passion for University of Florida athletics -- at least when it comes to their pocketbooks -- easily exceeds that of the Big Blue Nation's (thanks to Saurian Sagacity for compiling these figures):
Total Athletic Contributions (Donations)
Florida $26,896,283 (3rd Nationally)
Kentucky $8,060,667 (37th Nationally)
Florida advantage - 3.3 times
Total Athletic Operating Expenses
Florida $73,868,754
Kentucky $52,462,483
Florida Advantage – 1.4 times
Total Sports Revenue
Florida $77,742,484
Kentucky $54,536,426
Florida Advantage – 1.4 times
Mergz, take it away:
Don't think there is a big difference between $77 million and $54 million? Well, in 2005, those amounts made Florida the 4th highest school in the NCAA (Ohio State was 1st at $89 million). Kentucky was 17th, just ahead of Minnesota...
You can see from the above that Kentucky had a "profit" (if you will) of $2,073,943 in 2005. (As noted, with Florida's two recent national championships and increased donor costs, our amounts would be far higher, reportedly exceeding $100 million total revenue presently. Kentucky's amount would be fairly stable.)
With $2 million "to spare", if Kentucky were to pay Donovan $3.5 million dollars, they would be essentially spending all the excess revenue in their program.
Simply put, Florida can run circles around Kentucky in this department. If it ever came to a financial battle for Donovan's services (and I for one don't think that it will), Florida could win that fight with one hand tied behind its back.
And don't think for a second that Florida minds using football funds to pay for basketball expenses. Florida football revenues carries most of the athletic department's various sports -- everything from swimming to gymnastics to women's volleyball.
Fact or Fiction: Florida Fans Don't Travel Well for Basketball.
Fact. Guilty as charged, right here.
It's very clear to fans of those few schools with strong programs in both football and basketball (including Texas, Ohio State, Tennessee, LSU, etc.) that it's flat out tough to be a 'good fan' throughout both seasons. Think about it: if you "travel well" for football, that means from September through January, your schedule is filled with football events, assuming a bowl game is included. Basketball starts in December and continues through late March if your team has a deep NCAA tournament run.
Which means that seven months out of the year, the "good fan" will have to arrange his entire life around his team's sports.
(Why am I picturing my angry and frustrated wife scowling at me as I write?)
Emotionally, physically, and financially, that is very tough for most people to do. Florida fans love their basketball as well as their football, but they can only get off so many days from work. There is only so much money in their bank accounts to support traveling to away football and basketball games, bowl games, and tournament games. I think by virtue of the fact that basketball follows football, many fans are simply 'tapped out' when it comes to hitting the road to support their team. That's not to say Florida fans don't represent -- just check out how many orange and blue clad bodies you'll see in the Georgia Dome when Florida plays UCLA on Saturday night -- but this is clearly an area in which Kentucky has an edge. If the Wildcats were to play in Alaska, there will be a large Kentucky contingent there to cheer them on.
Fact or Fiction: Donovan Would Be a God in Lexington, But in Gainesville, He's Just the Guy Next Door.
Fiction. Donovan is the guy next door, sure... to another national championship coach -- his neighbor, Urban Meyer. But don't think for a second that Donovan isn't revered in Gainesville -- as he has been for some time now.
Everything has been coming up roses for Donovan and Florida for some time now, but if you look back to 2004, thing were decidely less cheery. Ron Zook was fired after losing to Croom's Mississippi State squad. Florida's basketball team lost to Villanova in the second round of the NCAA tournament, yet another early exit for Billy Donovan. The sole bright spot of the season for Florida was winning the SEC Tournament and defeating Kentucky to do it.
There was no hint of firing Donovan, no talk of a hot seat. Sure, some fans were bitterly disappointed with the results of a season which started with such promise, but not once was Donovan's name brought up in the sort of negative light which Kentucky fans cast on their coach when he "only" wins five SEC championships, five SEC tournaments, and one national championship in a 9-year span.
Have expectations risen since that time? Without a doubt, two Final Fours in two years will do that for your program.
But Donovan has no shadow to escape. He's the Steve Spurrier of Florida basketball -- if and when Donovan does step down, hopefully at some distant future date for the sake of Florida fans, his shadow will fall on whomever succeeds him.
Florida's love for him will never diminish and he will always be cherished so long as he continues to roam courtside at the O'Connell center.
Fact or Fiction: Football Comes First in the State of Florida.
Fact. Conditionally, that is. Has there ever been a program which has a chance to maintain true national power status in the top two collegiate sports in America? There are programs which are historically very good in both, but true 'elite' status belongs to precious few. Florida is one, and perhaps the pre-eminent example of a school which can excel in both sports. But there's no doubt that basketball fever is alive and well in Lexington, while in Florida it's simply classified as short-term excitement. 23,000 seat Rupp Arena sells out their Midnight Madness practice event... Florida, meanwhile, can only fill half that many seats for its biggest games. You want to talk about passion? SEC football games are hard to match for that. I'm wondering if Kentucky basketball fans have ever tasted Auburn vs. Alabama or Florida vs. Tennessee. That, my friends, is passion. It does seem to be elevated well above basketball, and that doesn't really help Florida's chances of keeping Donovan.
At the end of the day, Donovan will have to decide how big his ego really is, and how badly he wants to scratch it. Kentucky offers the biggest stage in college basketball. With that stage comes the pressure-cooker demands of a fanbase which, in my view, simply doesn't understand that the SEC and college basketball both have changed such that dominating the way they once did simply won't happen again. It might take several revolutions of coaches for Kentucky to realize their new place in the college basketball universe. Nowadays, elite powers have to settle for being a smidge ahead of the competion, rather than oblitering them into smithereens, as Kentucky once did to Florida on all-too-regular a basis.
Previously at FanHouse:
Could Billy Donovan Coach the Miami Heat Next Year?
Should Billy Donovan Make More than Urban Meyer?
Donovan to Recruits: "I'm Staying at Florida"
Donovan to Kentucky Rumor Grows Wings
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The writer of this article is really against Kentucky. Of course, Kentucky could dominate again or they may not dominate again. No one can accurately predict the future.
very well said... I think you hit the nail on the head.
Great article. Well thought-out and presented.
Excellent post Ryan.
If you will, allow me to add a couple of comments to your points.
The Fiction of the O’Connell Center – As of this past season, Florida instituted a separate booster system for basketball only, modeled after the football system. The response was enormous. The highest level, the “06’ Club” costs $8000 a year (Bull Gators for football are $12,000).
I joined at the 2nd highest level, the so called “Starting 5” club. What did I get for my $5000? 4 seats, in the upper decks, that are not together. I have been told it will take several years of giving at this level – or higher – to improve my seating.
Three points on this –
1. Revenues from basketball are going to go up – way up. Present season ticket holders will have to give more in coming years to keep their seats.
2. Demand for basketball tickets are so high the University thought it could do this to current ticket holders and get away with it. And it is working.
3. The “06’ Club”? How is that for a nod to Billy?
Florida needs to expand its seating, and it will fairly soon. And THAT is the ultimate compliment to our coach.
The Fiction of Donovan as a “normal” guy in Gainesville –
Anyone who says this hasn’t been to Gainesville. Billy’s face is everywhere, and a Billy Donovan sighting is like seeing a rock star. You can’t watch a TV show without seeing a couple of Billy D ads, and even the local jewelry store in his neighborhood has pictures of Donovan there. Not to mention, his success is highly appreciated. Go check the Youtube clips of the celebrations after UF beat UCLA last year.
In other words, he is a god in Gainesville.
On the other side of this argument, was Smith a god in Lexington? Because if that is how Cat fans treat their deities, who wants it?
Great article again Ryan.
Truly Elite? in both sports? come on, I will give you guys football, but your basketball team is hardly Elite. Florida is not spoken of in the same vein as UCLA, Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina. Billy has done a great job, but you guys have several more decades of Donovan style winning before you are as feared and reveared nationwide.
As far as Gators traveling for Basketball games, you seem to be making up excuses. In the Bluegrass we travel for both. Our football team is comparable to your basketball team, Kentucky fans love Football as long as Basketball is still off the Radar, but we still travel. The Music City bowl had ten times more Blue and white than Clemson Oranage.Tha fact that there has been no heat on Donovan when he wasn't performing is a steller example of how apathetic Gators are when it comes to roundball. Don't you think Donovan wants the pressure that comes along with the expectation. Do you think he wants to feel safe if he has an early exit at the NCAA Tourney. I sure hope not. I would hope any coach feels the heat.
As for Tubby, I am a big fan, but the Man went 0-9 against ranked opponents this year. Has not made it to the Final Four in 9 years, and was swept by Vandy, and Florida the last two years. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad, but the man made 2.1+ million a year.
We don't demand a Final four every year, but whats wrong with being dissapointed when it doesn't happen. We didn't Run Tubby out at the first chance, the man had nine seasons to bring a recruiting class of his own to the final weekend and he didn't do it.
In the same vein Billy D. would get a fair shot, but you better believe we want him because we believe he can get us back to where we are used to being, and if he doesn't he should expect the heat that comes with the kitchen.
I will always root for an SEC team, so Go Gators, till next year at least, then it will be time for Big Blue Nation to regain its rightful place
One little detail that Florida fans are forgetting is that Donovan is one of many candidates for the UK job and that like it or not, Kentucky is going to end up landing a good coach. As for Florida outbidding Kentucky in basketball, keep dreaming. UK has the will, the donors, and the passion to offer that kind of money. However, if Donovan does go to UK, it won't be because of money, it will be because Donovan knows and understands what it means to coach at UK. Florida has limitations due to Urb Meyer and UF will not pay Donovan more than UK. Think of all the UK NBA alumni, the several coaches with UK ties, UK will pay Donovan as much as he is worth.
But how Donovan worth? I for one don't even want Donovan. He had a losing record to Tubby Smith and was dominated by UK up until the 04 Florida class came through, a class which he is about to lose.
Florida will not be good next season despite who is coaching there. Dan Werner is not that good. Calathes is no Jai Lucas, no Jodie Meeks, no Ramel Bradley. Speights is the only player on UF next season that I would even want in a UK uniform.
Enjoy it while it lasts Florida fans. Another thing you are conveniently forgetting is that Florida has not won anything this year. They probably won't even win the NC. The damage has been done to Florida, and over the next 5 years, UF will have a losing record to Kentucky by a large margin. It's coming and you all know it, but like I said, enjoy while it lasts.
truth.
To all the cat fans,
I'm probably the biggest cat fan I know and I just read an article in the lexington herald newspaper that Billy D. texted one of his recruits and told him that he looked forward to coaching him at Florida. I don't know how accurate that is but let's be real I would love to have Billy D. at Kentucky but it's not going to happen he has built something there and they will pay him a handsome amount to stay.
The Kentucky fans a very passionate (me included) but sometimes we have to animated an opinion on things and I think that's why so many of the coaches we have thought of have either came right out and said they weren't interested or signed a big extension with there school they are currently at. I love wildcat basketball very much and I hate to see our fans talked about every where I look but I think some of it we bring on ourselves (Me Included) so lets be patient and stop spreading all these false rumors because that's what has driven Billy D away from coming to Kentucky and lets hope we get a coach that puts us where we belong ON TOP!!!
GO CATS!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like a fan desperate for Donovan to stay. Regardless if Florida has more money or not, we all know that they aren't willing to spend it on a basketball coach, a new basketball arena, basketball training facilities, etc.. when they have a football program and a football coach to worry about.
Lets not be naive and believe that any funds raised by the Florida football program will go to match the offer Kentucky is laying on the table for Donovan.
Besides this isn't even about money. It's about prestige and the number 1 coaching job in America. Right now Donovan is the number one coach and deserves the number one spot. He's only 41, to think that Florida is his last stop in a coaching career is ridiculous.
Hey Ryan and/or Mergz, could you provide links to the athletic budget information that is presented in Mergz's column? Thanks!
Florida hasn't won anything this year??? I guess you forgot about the sec and... oh yeah.... the sec. The final 4 ain't too shabby either. How long has it been since ky has been there? It's been so long I can't remember. We have been there 3 times since you showed your faces there. We have a guard coming off our bench better than bradley...can he even see directly in front of his face? You are right about speights, but just bitter about werner...he will show up next year. He is a great passer and his confidence will come with minutes. Your two best players, morris and perry, are leaving this year and we are winning the recruiting battle at the moment and i dont see that changing in the current situation. Beat us next year?...you would be lucky to split."they probably wont EVEN win the NC" is the most moronic comment i have ever heard. Getting their is something to be applauded, but you wouldnt remember anything about that. And yes...Elite...that is what you are when you win a NC and return to the final 4. Deal with it.
you start off your little game of fact or fiction with the question of attendance in florida. you say that the o'connell center gets sold out all the time, even for games against non-conference cupcakes in december. well, you might want to rethink that, seeing as how the o'connell center was sold out only once this season for a non-conference game, that being ohio state. no worries, i'm sure you were so indulged with begging billy d to stay that you simply overlooked mere facts, or just flat-out lied.
I am not a fan of either program, but I do find this situation interesting. I am glad that the author of this story said that AOL doesn't pay him much, because they would obviously be wasting their money. He fails to mention "booster" contributions to the respective programs and leaves out the fact that the average attendance at the O' Connell center has hovered at around 90 percent since the year 2000, and was at 75 percent in 1999. Obviously, it took a final four trip to alert the fans that they were fans. This seems to be fairweatheredness at its worst to me. This "writer" is clearly a Florida football that has attended some high profile Florida basketball games and has had his views slanted from those experiences. The stats mentioned above are facts from ncaa.org and it is also a fact that Florida basketball only sold out one non-conference game this season against Ohio State. I would think that watching Mr. Oden had something to do with that. If the "writer" actually used statistics to back up his claim, he might get a pay raise.
If the gator fans are so lethargic and don't know how to be fans for a high profile team, then why was the O-dome rated the most difficult venue to play last year when there are half as many seats as the Racist Arena.
UK fans ARE NOT unrealistic.
1.we had a coach that had 15 players transfer in 9 years
2. Didnt offer, a player that wanted to play for UK, Corey Brewer a scolly.
3. Didnt offer a scholly to Chirs Lofton who wanted to attend UK.
4. Lost Brandon Wright to N.C. a life long UK fan couldnt stand the style of play was why we didnt get him
5. lost 25 game last 2 seasons.
6. problems with players fighting
7. players leaving for NBA without even talking to him.
8. the rape charge against a player.
9. DUI charges
He simply wasnt getting it dont? He went the longest stretch of any UK coach with out a final four. Geez Pitino had 3 final fours in 8 years.
The crap of UK not satified if they dont make the final four every year is really really getting old. But yes not making it 9 years its time to complain. And not a power forward in site!
actually, to correct the fact that #11 and i both brought up about non-conference attendance, that ohio state game was the only non-conference game florida has sold out in the past TWO YEARS!! one non-conference sellout in two seasons in a 12,000 seat arena, just pathetic. oh yea, it was also good to see a whopping 500 fans made the trip for the gators first weekend of play in the ncaa tournament. eastern kentucky had nearly 1,000 fans show up to watch them lose their first-round game.
come on billy u need to go to uk is the best choice for u there history, money ur daughter is a finatic at horseriding think what that will do if she comes to kentucky that increases on her dream plus it will make her better!!!!!!!!! PLEASE GO TO UK!!!!!!
desperate florida fan