Alabama spend a whopping $2.6 million on its national semifinals trip, which was a half million dollars more than Ohio State laid out for the trip, despite having a shorter distance to travel.
How did the Tide manage to pull that off? Simply by inviting a shitload of people.
The Crimson Tide sent a traveling party of 908 people — 197 more than any other team brought to a playoff game and more than any traveling party from Alabama’s past BCS Championship Game trips. The school brought 778 to New Orleans for the 2012 BCS Championship Game.
Maybe they were all tutors there to make sure that the student-athletes were able to attend to their studies.
Just remember, folks, the NCAA’s official position is if schools have to pay players, then they won’t be able to afford all those scholarships for the kids who aren’t in revenue producing sports.
Get The Picture 
Of the 908 Bama brought 388 were team and staff and another 439 were band and cheerleaders. That right there is 827. I guess they could have left some band and cheerleaders behind and used that savings for the nonrevenue sports, but is that not just taking from one student athlete to give to another?
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I know when Georgia went to the Sugar Bowl in ’80, they took a huge number of people, it’s what programs do. I think they dressed out something like 120 players. They bring every player on the team, scholarship or not, healthy or not. They bring every trainer, manager, locker room attendant, equipment people, etc. Part of the reward of getting to a championship game is making sure everyone involved with the program in any way is part of the event.
I’m really not surprised at the number. Football is HUGE at Bama and they want to make sure they spread the joy as much as possible. Their system appears to be working.
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388 for “team and staff” is ok ?
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Between gray shirts and support staff (recruiting coaches and film study type coaches) 388 sounds about right.
Don’t forget all the players on medical disqualifications that could have bargained for tickets as part of the price of silence.
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Nailed it. Haha.
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Sure. Probably around 125 for players, then coaches, football support staff, and the athletic department. They have one of the biggest support staffs in the counrty and based on their win percentage and the way the money is rolling in makes sense to feed that cash cow.
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388? That’s nearly 2 coaches/support staff per ‘Student/Athlete’ – it boggles the mind.
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Jeepers… I’m way over my head sometimes when I debate with my youngest son. Finance major. Honors. Terry Business College. 1L. Blah blah blah. Blah. Still. He pointed out that Boise State ROI is pretty damn good. He also said Georgia’s sport mgt master program leaves a lot to be desired. One extra yr MBA from Georgia much more attractive. My brides next house keeps shrinking. Shit according to my MD I’m shrinking too. I might need some cookies. I’ll probably get wider and not taller.
just sayin’
http://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciajessop/2013/08/31/the-economics-of-college-football-a-look-at-the-top-25-teams-revenues-and-expenses/
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It’s not how tall you are that is shrinking, AHD. 🙂
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Lol. Jeepers . Was that nice? 🙂
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You are such a great Father. Your Bride is what gives you inspiration.🏇. Bye the bye… I won the Motherload at The Derby🏇🏇🏇.
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Why?
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Too much entitlement. They lost me.
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But the Senator implies at the end that we should give more money to programs which are already losing money. No end to the entitlement mentality, trophies, more wasted cash, and rings for all.
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If you paid in to Social Security all your life and now it’s time to pull some retirement, remember – it’s an entitlement and its shrinking..,
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The old story goes that when Paul went to his reward (and I will leave you to judge which direction that trip might have been) Bama was as close to broke as you could get and still suit up a team. Bama ain’t never believed in leavin no money layin around…
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