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re: Women’s Basketball 2026-27 roster tracker and new Coach Pauline Love
Posted on 4/1/26 at 4:06 pm to Alabama_Fan
Posted on 4/1/26 at 4:06 pm to Alabama_Fan
But this is exactly what’s effed up with the current system. Something has to change or Olympic and non revenue sports are going to become concentrated in a handful of schools. Alabama has consistently had an athletic budget that ranked in the top 5 nationally and usually turned a small profit or broke even. Now we can’t even afford to competitively support our non-revenue sports because we’re scrounging dollars trying to keep football and men’s basketball afloat. If something doesn’t change, in 10 years time non-revenue and Olympic sports will disappear from all but the wealthiest schools. The Texas schools, Michigan, Stanford, Ohio State, and a few others will be the only ones fielding teams because they will be the only ones left that can afford a swim program or a women’s basketball program or crew. And that’s just to give the big 2 sports a fighting chance to stay competitive. And eventually, those will succumb to the economic inevitability too. It’s practically unavoidable without changes.
This post was edited on 4/1/26 at 4:08 pm
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Posted on 4/1/26 at 4:13 pm to paperwasp
quote:
Not trying to be a smart arse, I truly don't know — does any women's basketball team, anywhere, at any level (including college and pro) make an annual profit?
I would think that close to 100% operate at a loss and are subsidized in some way.
There are probably a few who break even or turn a very small profit, a few more that lose money but are on TV enough and are discussed on and social media enough that it's still a net positive for the university, and everyone else is operating at a big loss. It's stupid to pay a lot of money to a coach like Curry who puts a competitive product on the floor but isn't good enough to get the team on national television or playing in the Final Four a bunch.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 4:37 pm to labamafan
quote:
You’re not going to hire like that when you program loses 5 million a year
We lost $10 million last year in women’s basketball. Key problem is attendance. I don’t know why, but gymnastics and softball draw really good crowds, but women’s basketball dies not.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 5:39 pm to AbSnopes
It’s because we aren’t competitive in women’s basketball and everybody knows it. We are just good enough to keep our head above water in the middle of the pack in the SEC. We’re not a threat to South Carolina. We’re not a threat to Texas. I know it would be very difficult and costly to get to that level but when you can’t even beat them on a Occasional basis and get past the first weekend in the tournament occasionally it’s hard for Bama fans to watch. Good or bad our fan base expects excellence in every sport. If we put a mediocre product on the floor or the field, you’re gonna get mediocre attendance.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 5:44 pm to AbSnopes
quote:
gymnastics and softball draw really good crowds, but women’s basketball dies not.
Both of those programs have way more historical success and are consistently in the top 10. Women's basketball does not have that established success to have long-term fans.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 6:15 pm to Robot Santa
Not sure why we started the rowing team and then just recently built them a fancy new facility.
Rather have female beach volleyball down by the river. Much cheaper and might run a profit if the chicks are hot and barely dressed.
Rather have female beach volleyball down by the river. Much cheaper and might run a profit if the chicks are hot and barely dressed.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 6:16 pm to labamafan
Problem is, I’m pretty sure EVERY WBB in the SEC loses money. Even South Carolina. I know Byrne has to be a good steward of the budget but supposedly every year Bama athletics is in the black. If so, maybe spend a bit more? I would assume we could spend a bit more.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 6:19 pm to phil4bama
This times one million. Maybe if Bama spent more there would be a better product and maybe there would be better turnout.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 6:32 pm to ChauvinisticPigAttit
quote:
Both of those programs have way more historical success and are consistently in the top 10. Women's basketball does not have that established success to have long-term fans.
That. I played in basketball pep band for a couple of seasons between 07-10 and there were a couple of games where the pep band (~30). had more people in it than there were fans in the stands. Maybe we need to go old school gymnastics for a few years and just hand out tickets to school kids just to get more butts in seats for a couple of years.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 6:35 pm to Amarillo Tide
Over those same four years, head coach Dawn Staley’s program has lost an average of $5.75 million annually — and no deficit was larger than that from FY25. Last season, the Gamecocks’ WBB program was $6.24 million in the red, losing over $600,000 more than it did in FY24.
Read more at: LINK
Read more at: LINK
Posted on 4/1/26 at 9:10 pm to Night Vision
quote:
NEWS: Alabama’s Diana Collins plans to enter the transfer portal, she told @On3.
The 5-9 junior averaged 8.4 ppg, 2.4 apg and 1 spg this season.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 9:20 pm to Amarillo Tide
quote:
Problem is, I’m pretty sure EVERY WBB in the SEC loses money. Even South Carolina. I know Byrne has to be a good steward of the budget but supposedly every year Bama athletics is in the black. If so, maybe spend a bit more? I would assume we could spend a bit more.
If we want the money to spend on non revenue sports the best thing Bama could do in my opinion is spend more on elite trench players and get back into the final four of CFB playoffs every couple of years and spend more on men’s basketball and get to the final four again. Those two sports bring money in consistently. Baseball would be 3rd in my list then women’s softball. This is all my opinion of course I don’t see bamas expense reports or anything obviously
Posted on 4/1/26 at 9:36 pm to labamafan
quote:
This is all my opinion of course I don’t see bamas expense reports or anything obviously
Allow me to remedy this.
Posted on 4/1/26 at 10:35 pm to MoarKilometers
quote:
Allow me to remedy this.
I'm kinda shocked softball is so far down the list. Rhoads is usually sold out. Also what are they spending almost 4 million dollars on?
Posted on 4/1/26 at 11:13 pm to RollTide33
quote:
I'm kinda shocked softball is so far down the list. Rhoads is usually sold out. Also what are they spending almost 4 million dollars on?
They play a lot of games(travel), baseball and softball have large rosters, baseball/softball equipment is more expensive all other non rev sports
Posted on 4/2/26 at 6:13 am to RollTide33
I would imagine up to 2M is on salaries. Murph alone probably is around 1M and the first base coach was an espn talking head so she didnt come cheap.
Posted on 4/2/26 at 6:51 am to mrbroker
quote:
Murph alone probably is around 1M
About half that. all the information in the world is at your fingertips.
Posted on 4/2/26 at 7:35 am to RollTide33
quote:
I'm kinda shocked softball is so far down the list. Rhoads is usually sold out. Also what are they spending almost 4 million dollars on?
Equipment , field supplies/ equipment and not to mention what travel and meals cost
Posted on 4/2/26 at 7:50 am to Bear88
so i added the 2 money makers up then deducted the rest for a $32,696,144 balance left. if? if, each year is similar, then where does this money go? i would think that the budget for facilities is separate. also, are we to assume all insurance costs is factored into these numbers? i'm guessing it's a rather large number.
Posted on 4/2/26 at 8:11 am to Night Vision
quote:
Over those same four years, head coach Dawn Staley’s program has lost an average of $5.75 million annually — and no deficit was larger than that from FY25. Last season, the Gamecocks’ WBB program was $6.24 million in the red, losing over $600,000 more than it did in FY24.
So for about $1.5 million more we can put a perennial national championship contender on the floor? I say that tongue in cheek but it does make one wonder if we spent another $500,000 to $750,000 dollars on WBB, how good could we be? If we’re going to lose money anyway, let’s get our moneys worth. Maybe we could knock that trashy bayou bitch Mulkey off her bedazzled perch and be the 3rd best team in the league behind Texas and SC. Money well spent IMHO.
If you want more fannies in the seats to boost attendance, easiest way is to win games. But don’t just win them, win them by playing an entertaining brand of basketball. Have a style that is fun to watch. Oats teams are very entertaining. They get up and down the court, shoot the 3, push the tempo, and emphasize hard hat hustle. So adopt a style, a brand. I’m not saying they should necessarily copy Nate, but you could do much worse. But at least adopt a style that wins and is promotable. It helps attendance, if it’s the right kind and gets girls to the WNBA it helps recruiting, it helps visibility and helps the bottom line.
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