Monday, December 9, 2019

University remains committed to football program that loses $5 million a year and has won three games over the last three years

El Paso Times:
The football program loses about $5 million a year according to financials obtained by the Texas Tribune, but that’s in line with the most relevant comparisons, North Texas and UTSA, actually in line with most mid-major programs.

Attendance is poor by UTEP standards — they announced 17,092 per game this year, including 34,646 for discounted tickets in the Houston Baptist opener — but that’s enough to sustain the program and it also buys them another year where they don’t have to meet the 15,000 attendance standard. They drew 14,155 in 2018 so the trend is decent enough.

...

The solution to all UTEP’s problems is recruiting better and Dimel indicated he will need four classes — the two already in the program, the one coming this signing season and one more in 2021 — to get the program turned around.
Since 1914, the team has participated in 14 bowl games and won two conference championships.