Sac State's Play for the Pac-12
Sac State's "feasibility" study on the FBS jump does not inspire confidence. Hope lies with a mega-stadium naming rights deal to make the FBS jump a possibility.
I’m a native of Sacramento. In high school (1970s), I would beat the oppressive summer heat by sneaking into Sac State’s small 1,000-seat air-conditioned basketball gym to join pick-up games. After college, I worked in the City’s government. Much of my time in city government (1990s) was spent recruiting and retaining professional sports teams. Based on my experience and knowledge of the region’s economy, I am highly skeptical of any reports that suggest there is significant local financial support for collegiate sports. With that disclaimer, here is my take on Sac State’s efforts to jump from FCS to FBS.
Sac State’s Case to the Pac-12
I watched and listened to Sac State’s press conference as a skeptic. If you lived in Sacramento over the past forty years you probably share my skepticism. First, it was the failed attempts to recruit the Oakland Raiders during the 80’s. That was followed by another failed effort to recruit the Oakland A’s. More recently it was failed efforts to recruit a Major League Soccer franchise. A common denominator in these efforts was both a lack of local wealth/ownership and lack of local corporate sponsors. Sacramento, after all, is a city whose economy is centered on state government employment.
So, when I heard Sac State’s President and AD make the claim last month that they lined up funds for a new football stadium, without disclosing the cost of the new stadium, or the sources of those “secured” funds, I had no confidence Sac State could make the FBS jump. However, national news reports following the Sac State press conference did not share my skepticism. Enthusiasm among national journos came from local reports that Sac State raised $35 million overnight in NIL funds to support the FBS jump.
Setting aside my skepticism, I decided to look for evidence to support Sac State’s confidence in making the FBS jump. A feasibility study was mentioned during Sac State’s press conference. Perhaps that document contained supporting material deemed too technical or boring for a presser. I’ve never read a feasibility study by a public agency that did not support the subject of the study, so this seemed like a good place to start. The study was not linked to any of the press releases by Sac State, nor was it on the web pages devoted to the FBS initiative, so I made a public records request. Attached below is what was provided by the university (executive summary).
It goes without saying…
Sac State’s study on making the jump to FBS was prepared by College Sports Solutions (CSS). CSS previously worked with Sac State to hire former head football coach Troy Taylor. CSS does not appear to have a significant full-time staff or a specific focus but rather consulting agreements with several former athletic department officials who conduct a wide variety of assignments.
The Executive Summary of the “Football & Conference Realignment Study” provides no insight into how Sac State will fund a jump to the FBS. It is not a feasibility study. There are no financial projections or cost estimates. It is a checklist embellished with meaningless text. Here are a few “revelations” from the study:
Football Facilities:
“Revenue generation from club areas, suites and other premium seating will be desired.”
Basketball Facilities (Sac State is moving from a 1,000- to a 3,000-seat arena):
“Our understanding is that there are current plans to dramatically improve the arena, providing an improved home for those sports as well as the entire university community. We encourage that, as it will be a necessary element of any attempt to join a Division I FBS conference.”
Other Sports Venues:
“(O)ther venues should be reviewed and improved as needed to present the very best picture to any new potential conference.”
Coaches:
“Of course it will be necessary to attract and retain successful coaches”
Current Success:
“It goes without saying that Sacramento State’s current overall competitive success in all major sports will be an important consideration of any FBS conference looking to add members. Review and analysis should be undertaken of those sports that are currently in the bottom half of their conferences, with an ultimate plan to improve that success.”
Strategic Planning Process:
“If the focus continues to be an effort to elevate Sacramento State to the FBS level, the next steps taken by Sacramento State will be important ones.”
“College Sports Solutions would be honored to assist with those efforts, as it continues to do with many of its other client insitutions [sic].”
What to look for next…
There has been substantial reporting since the Sac State presser on the success raising $35 million in NIL funds. Ignore those reports. Student reporter Jack Freeman (@JackFreeman_13) found those were only pledges and contingent on receiving an invite to the Pac-12 conference.
Instead of NIL contingent pledges, watch for a naming rights sponsorship of the prospective football stadium. The Sac State President indicated this was forthcoming. A solid naming rights deal in the $30+ million range could set things in motion. The California State University system could lend its balance sheet (as it did with San Diego State) to help Sac State underwrite public financing for the project. A mega-naming rights sponsor and CSU support could set the dominoes in motion to secure funding from counties and cities in the region. If that happens Sac State has an outside chance at getting that Pac-12 invite.
Executive Summary of Sac State’s Feasibility Study
Note : I’ve asked for the full study and will add it later (if and when it is received).