What it really costs to build a championship caliber team

[hskr4life]

Thinking about the title of this thread, we seem to have maybe 1-2 probable/likely starters and quite a few role players figured out. We probably need another big to spell Mast. My question is do we think we'll have the budget to actually go out and grab 3 starting level(ish) players to add to what we already have? Seems like it's going to take some dough to add starting level players vs trying to fill our role player positions.

 

Starter TBD

Starter TBD

Starter TBD

Berke?

Mast

 

Sam

Connor

Frager

Jano

Bolis

 

Edited March 25 by hskr4life

[HuscurAdam]

  On 3/25/2025 at 2:06 PM, hskr4life said:

Thinking about the title of this thread, we seem to have maybe 1-2 probable/likely starters and quite a few role players figured out. We probably need another big to spell Mast. My question is do we think we'll have the budget to actually go out and grab 3 starting level(ish) players to add to what we already have? Seems like it's going to take some dough to add starting level players vs trying to fill our role player positions.

 

Starter TBD

Starter TBD

Starter TBD

Berke?

Mast

 

Sam

Connor

Frager

Jano

 

Expand  

 

Don't discount Bolis. Personally, I think he will end up being the best of the 3 redshirts, and not becuase the other two are bad. 

[NUdiehard]

  On 3/25/2025 at 2:18 PM, HuscurAdam said:

 

Don't discount Bolis. Personally, I think he will end up being the best of the 3 redshirts, and not becuase the other two are bad. 

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Bolis has had one year in juco and one year redshirting at NU.  In light of the new juco rules, will Bolis be a freshman with 4 years of eligibility next year?

[nustudent]

  On 3/25/2025 at 2:06 PM, hskr4life said:

Thinking about the title of this thread, we seem to have maybe 1-2 probable/likely starters and quite a few role players figured out. We probably need another big to spell Mast. My question is do we think we'll have the budget to actually go out and grab 3 starting level(ish) players to add to what we already have? Seems like it's going to take some dough to add starting level players vs trying to fill our role player positions.

 

Starter TBD

Starter TBD

Starter TBD

Berke?

Mast

 

Sam

Connor

Frager

Jano

Bolis

 

Expand  

For me:

 

Transfer PG

Essegian (or Transfer)

Transfer SF/Wing (or Frager/Rhymes)

Transfer PF (Kyle or Bangot)

Mast

 

3 starters from the portal with 2 internal.  
 

Rotation:

6.  Berke

7.   Essegian/Frager/Rhymes

8.   Sam

9.   Frager/Rhymes

10.  Transfer combo guard 

 

Deep Bench:

11.  Janowski

12.  Griffiths 

13.  Perez (Euro HS PF)

14.  Bolis

 

 

 

[FredsSlacks]

i think i read the max revenue sharing amount is $20 million. if you put half of that money into basketball you are going to have a top 25 team.

 

if you put that money into football i don't see it making a huge difference given the roster size.

 

just something to think about.

[nustudent]

  On 3/25/2025 at 4:07 PM, FredsSlacks said:

i think i read the max revenue sharing amount is $20 million. if you put half of that money into basketball you are going to have a top 25 team.

 

if you put that money into football i don't see it making a huge difference given the roster size.

 

just something to think about.

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If you put half that money in basketball, you’re going to have a really bad football team.   
 

most p4 schools will put around $15m towards football and $3.5-$4m towards basketball.     They’ll allocate it based on revenue %

[hskr4life]

My best guess is that football will command the most... 66-75%. Men's basketball and volleyball will come next based on revenue brought into the university and those programs paying for themselves.

 

From there, they'll break out what they have left among the other sports. Where the secondary portion goes at most universities will be different based on what that specific institution brings in money wise. For instance, Vandy might be men's basketball and baseball. Iowa might be men's and women's basketball. Etc.

[nustudent]

  On 3/25/2025 at 4:44 PM, hskr4life said:

My best guess is that football will command the most... 66-75%. Men's basketball and volleyball will come next based on revenue brought into the university and those programs paying for themselves.

 

From there, they'll break out what they have left among the other sports. Where the secondary portion goes at most universities will be different based on what that specific institution brings in money wise. For instance, Vandy might be men's basketball and baseball. Iowa might be men's and women's basketball. Etc.

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That pretty much jt.  It’s going to be a 75-15-10 model.   That aligns with the percentage of revenue at most schools.   

75%-Football

15%-MBB

10%- Everything else 

[hhcmatt]

  On 3/25/2025 at 4:07 PM, FredsSlacks said:

i think i read the max revenue sharing amount is $20 million. if you put half of that money into basketball you are going to have a top 25 team.

 

if you put that money into football i don't see it making a huge difference given the roster size.

 

just something to think about.

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For a laugh?

[OmahaHusker]

  On 3/25/2025 at 4:46 PM, nustudent said:

That pretty much jt.  It’s going to be a 75-15-10 model.   That aligns with the percentage of revenue at most schools.   

75%-Football

15%-MBB

10%- Everything else 

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I bet volleyball demands 10% just for themselves

[nustudent]

  On 3/25/2025 at 4:55 PM, OmahaHusker said:

 

I bet volleyball demands 10% just for themselves

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They can try.    Doesn’t mean they’ll get it.   For as good as they are…..men’s hoops still makes 10x as much as they do.  

[OmahaHusker]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:02 PM, nustudent said:

They can try.    Doesn’t mean they’ll get it.   For as good as they are…..men’s hoops still makes 10x as much as they do.  

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They'll want to keep getting the top recruiting classes and transfers. They've created a brand. They'll make an argument. Just have a feeling. 

 

Mens hoops makes more, but this is where the "the fans will always be there" arguments come in to play for the AD and admin. The money is coming in regardless. 

Edited March 25 by OmahaHusker

[nustudent]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:09 PM, OmahaHusker said:

 

They'll want to keep getting the top recruiting classes and transfers. They've created a brand. They'll make an argument. Just have a feeling. 

 

Mens hoops makes more, but this is where the "the fans will always be there" arguments come in to play for the AD and admin. The money is coming in regardless. 

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Is the brand that valuable, if it makes 10 times less than what the men’s basketball team does.    
 

And I’d also argued that the men’s basketball team won’t have as many fans showing up in two years if they regress back again and again like they have this year     

[OmahaHusker]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:14 PM, nustudent said:

Is the brand that valuable, if it makes 10 times less than what the men’s basketball team does.    
 

And I’d also argued that the men’s basketball team won’t have as many fans showing up in two years if they regress back again and again like they have this year     

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I agree. Just saying I think they'll ask for a lot. More than most other schools. 

 

On the contrary I feel like we're just accepting defeat with baseball unfortunately. 

[hhcmatt]

Relative to some B1G teams, we don't have hockey

[nustudent]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:18 PM, OmahaHusker said:

 

I agree. Just saying I think they'll ask for a lot. More than most other schools. 

 

On the contrary I feel like we're just accepting defeat with baseball unfortunately. 

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I'm sure they will.   And they will get more than other schools too.   But that doesn't mean we're going to partake in bad business and take away from football or men's basketball.

 

Women's basketball and olympic sports are going to be the casualties in the women's volleyball debate.  Not FB or MBB.

[Vinny]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:26 PM, hhcmatt said:

Relative to some B1G teams, we don't have hockey

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Or a basketball arena that averages 50% capacity.

[cornfed24-7]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:14 PM, nustudent said:

Is the brand that valuable, if it makes 10 times less than what the men’s basketball team does.      

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Some anecdotal evidence that money is not the end all be all. 

 

I'm a labor and delivery nurse. I work with all women. I take care of only women. Pretty much my whole life I am surrounded by nothing but women.

 

I meet new women everyday it's the nature of my job. And we have a lot of conversations because they're with only me for pretty much 12 hours. 

 

They recognize immediately I am not a native Southern Cal guy. I'm always asked where I'm from. And I always tell them, "A little town outside Lincoln Ne." 

 

I can't even put a number to how many times immediately eyes light up and I am peppered with question about Nebraska Volleyball.

 

Told about how it's thier daughters/ granddaughters/nieces dream school and they watch all the matches. Hell I myself have had to become much more acquainted with Nebraska Volleyball because of how often the topic comes up at my workplace. I somehow feel obligated to be a proper brand representative

 

That match in Memorial Stadium. HUGE! I have a little 1cm x 1cm "N" pin on my work badge. Once they see that, unsolicited, they want to talk about the significance of that match. It's amazing. And I just burst with pride as we talk about my alma mater.

 

Some things are just bigger than the numbers on an income statement.

 

[nustudent]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:54 PM, cornfed24-7 said:

Some anecdotal evidence that money is not the end all be all. 

 

I'm a labor and delivery nurse. I work with all women. I take care of only women. Pretty much my whole life I am surrounded by nothing but women.

 

I meet new women everyday it's the nature of my job. And we have a lot of conversations because they're with only me for pretty much 12 hours. 

 

They recognize immediately I am not a native Southern Cal guy. I'm always asked where I'm from. And I always tell them, "A little town outside Lincoln Ne." 

 

I can't even put a number to how many times immediately eyes light up and I am peppered with question about Nebraska Volleyball.

 

Told about how it's thier daughters/ granddaughters/nieces dream school and they watch all the matches. Hell I myself have had to become much more acquainted with Nebraska Volleyball because of how often the topic comes up at my workplace. I somehow feel obligated to be a proper brand representative

 

That match in Memorial Stadium. HUGE! I have a little 1cm x 1cm "N" pin on my work badge. Once they see that, unsolicited, they want to talk about the significance of that match. It's amazing. And I just burst with pride as we talk about my alma mater.

 

Some things are just bigger than the numbers on an income statement.

 

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And some things aren’t.  

[cornfed24-7]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:55 PM, nustudent said:

And some things aren’t.  

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This is one that is

[nustudent]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:56 PM, cornfed24-7 said:

This is one that is

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Is it?     If Nebraska volleyball goes 0-35 next year, I wouldn’t care one bit.   It’s a pretty subjective thing.   

 

Don't get me wrong either.  I'm not rooting against them.  I'd would just watch the same amount of volleyball either way,

Edited March 25 by nustudent

[cornfed24-7]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:58 PM, nustudent said:

Is it?     If Nebraska volleyball goes 0-35 next year, I wouldn’t care one bit.   It’s a pretty subjective thing.   

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You wouldn't sure. Neither would I. I should make clear I am not a volleyball fan. Don't care much for the sport. 

But if you don't see the importance to the University in maintaining the caliber of program that is Nebraska Volleyball nothing I'm going to say will persuade you. 

[OmahaHusker]

  On 3/25/2025 at 6:04 PM, cornfed24-7 said:

You wouldn't sure. Neither would I. I should make clear I am not a volleyball fan. Don't care much for the sport. 

But if you don't see the importance to the University in maintaining the caliber of program that is Nebraska Volleyball nothing I'm going to say will persuade you. 

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That's why I think the university will give in to giving volleyball more. It's relevant nationally. Basketball isn't. 

[hskr4life]

This argument seems a little moot considering NIL collectives will still be a thing no? There are plenty of volleyball private donors I’m sure. This distribution is only referencing what the university allocated money will go to which probably pales in comparison to what collectives will become.

[Nebrasketball1979]

  On 3/25/2025 at 5:54 PM, cornfed24-7 said:

Some things are just bigger than the numbers on an income statement.

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I do believe this will ring true.  It would not surprise me in the least if the Volleyball team received a higher proportion of revenue share than the raw data and numbers would indicate. 

 

The team wins and Nebraskans have shown over and over and over that they will go above and beyond to support a winner.  Perhaps more importantly and to cornfed's point, one area where a value is hard to pin down, is the benefit the school receives from the added exposure and potential future enrollment.  There are stories that can easily be found about how Alabama's out of state attendance is up an absurd amount over the past 20 years.  The reason - Nick Saban - and students, not football players, enrolling at a university that wins and is always seen on TV.  Nebraska volleyball won't have the impact of Alabama football but to dismiss that potential impact and how that plays into the AD's NIL allocation strategy would be akin to missing the forest through the trees.

 

If the above is true, the one sport that probably does suffer is men's basketball.  It won't be football for obvious reasons.  This is where you hope 1890 steps in, bridges the gap and infuses additional funds to ensure we are a consistent top half of the Big 10 funded program.