Multiple media outlets list Mark Coyle as a candidate to replace Mitch Barnhart who is retiring as Kentucky AD

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Scottsdale Gopher said:
There are more than a few comments here about Coyle's financial / fundraising acumen. The athletic department released its FY2025 financial report earlier this year.

I have not seen any comparative statements that would index budget relative to the rest of the conference for 2025. If someone else has, please share the link. But the 2024 report from the U of M indicated the athletic department had the 10th largest budget in the B1G. My question for those with a dim view of Coyle's financial stewardship: Where do you feel the Gophers should rank in the conference?

As others have pointed out, the athletic director needs support from the entire university to succeed and the track record at Minnesota is that the support will be mediocre at best and openly hostile at worst. For comparative purposes, Minnesota has more than 2X the student body and more than 3X the endowment of Oregon, but Oregon's athletic department received $56M in contributions compared to Minnesota's $22M in 2025. Yes, Phil Knight, but also a clear institutional commitment to athletics.

I do not believe Coyle is an exceptional athletic director but, given the broader institutional landscape, I would be very concerned about having to replace him.
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I feel the Gophers should be in the top half of the conference in athletic budget, especially with all of the teams they field. Somewhere between 5th and 8th.
 

gopherbadgerman said:
I feel the Gophers should be in the top half of the conference in athletic budget, especially with all of the teams they field. Somewhere between 5th and 8th.
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That seems next to impossible given the the attendance limitations in football.

They get lapped in that aspect alone by:

USC
Nebraska
Iowa
Wisconsin
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn St

That's 8 right there.

Washington as well, though they get a massive haircut in Broadcast revenue.
 

highwayman said:
As long as Minnesota still has half (or more) of the Regents finding sports as something "they have to deal with," you are not going to get big donations. They have to ACTUALLY TRY. Don't know if they will ever get there.
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Bingo. This has always been the #1 issue with sports at the U.
 



Ope3 said:
That seems next to impossible given the the attendance limitations in football.

They get lapped in that aspect alone by:

USC
Nebraska
Iowa
Wisconsin
Michigan
Michigan State
Ohio State
Penn St

That's 8 right there.

Washington as well, though they get a massive haircut in Broadcast revenue.
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I don't disagree, I was more commenting based on where I think they should be if they valued athletics the way I think they should and based on their enrollment and alumni base.
 

Scottsdale Gopher said:
There are more than a few comments here about Coyle's financial / fundraising acumen. The athletic department released its FY2025 financial report earlier this year.

I have not seen any comparative statements that would index budget relative to the rest of the conference for 2025. If someone else has, please share the link. But the 2024 report from the U of M indicated the athletic department had the 10th largest budget in the B1G. My question for those with a dim view of Coyle's financial stewardship: Where do you feel the Gophers should rank in the conference?

As others have pointed out, the athletic director needs support from the entire university to succeed and the track record at Minnesota is that the support will be mediocre at best and openly hostile at worst. For comparative purposes, Minnesota has more than 2X the student body and more than 3X the endowment of Oregon, but Oregon's athletic department received $56M in contributions compared to Minnesota's $22M in 2025. Yes, Phil Knight, but also a clear institutional commitment to athletics.

I do not believe Coyle is an exceptional athletic director but, given the broader institutional landscape, I would be very concerned about having to replace him.
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The Oregon Administration has to kick in $56 million otherwise they would be swallowed up in the Big 10.

They have to make up for the Half Share (or whatever) in Big 10 Media Rights. Additionally for the most part any time any of their teams go on the road for an intra-conference athletic event they traveling a half to an entire continent away from Eugene.
 





It's hard for me to accept that a booster made a major donation only because the AD talked him into it.

I could believe that a bad/jerk of an AD could convince someone not to make the donation, or to wait longer to make it.

Most of the money comes from TV now, which has nothing to do with your AD. Or players are getting paid by 3rd party NIL deals, which also have nothing to do with the AD.

And so, I question the idea of the AD as a fund raiser, being something that matters or moves the needle.


So .... what would you say you do, around here??

Pretty much it's hiring the coaches and then I assume just a bunch of administration and monitoring the accounting/finances of the department.
 

I'm pretty sure Coyle is a basketball guy, he was at Syracuse before the Gophers.

I think if offered he would love to go to a bball blue blood like Kentucky. Less pressure on football to carry the athletics water, as well.
 


GoldRush said:
Esten ready to move to the U?
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Published report I saw says Esten makes a little over $550K at UST. Moving to the U, where he has worked before and earned his Ph.D., seems like logical step up. Wouldn't even have to relocate. And he can raise money! He's another devil "we know."
 
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everybody knows my name said:
Mens' basketball is finally headed in the right direction.

Womens' basketball is rolling.

We have a good hockey coach, but the results have been inconsistent. Overall Motzko has a strong record.

Football, we have Fleck. For better or worse, and however you feel about his personality, we're winning more than we lose.

Wrestling put up a winning record this year. That's tough in the Big Ten, but I want more.

I don't hate where the U athletic department is at. Somebody new will come in like a wrecking ball, feeling that they have to put their imprint on everything. I'd keep Coyle around as long as we're flying level.
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If you give him credit for hiring Niko and coach P. You also have to blame him for hiring Ben and Whalen. I think we are still struggling to recover from those hires. Fan interest at the barn is lowest it has ever been. I also don't think he promotes the program enough. We need someone who will be on tv at every opportunity promoting the U. I also think he could have hired Niko instead of Ben the first time around but went cheap and it ended costing more.
 

Gopher Mac said:
If you give him credit for hiring Niko and coach P. You also have to blame him for hiring Ben and Whalen. I think we are still struggling to recover from those hires. Fan interest at the barn is lowest it has ever been. I also don't think he promotes the program enough. We need someone who will be on tv at every opportunity promoting the U. I also think he could have hired Niko instead of Ben the first time around but went cheap and it ended costing more.
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Women's Bball seems to be just fine.
 

PMWinSTP said:
Women's Bball seems to be just fine.
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Both Women and men's are good now. But neither is drawing any crowds. This years womens attendance is no better than any of the last 5 years. Womens basketball is losing money at a record pace.
 

Gopher Mac said:
Both Women and men's are good now. But neither is drawing any crowds. This years womens attendance is no better than any of the last 5 years. Womens basketball is losing money at a record pace.
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Men’s basketball is good? 8-12 in the big ten is good?

They are improving and have some promise, but I think that’s a pretty big difference from being good.

I’d agree women’s BB is good.
 

gopherbadgerman said:
Men’s basketball is good? 8-12 in the big ten is good?

They are improving and have some promise, but I think that’s a pretty big difference from being good.

I’d agree women’s BB is good.
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Quantitatively, sure, they're not good. Objectively, however, they're great considering all of the injuries and roster deficiencies. Medved will have them rolling once he's got his own roster from top to bottom, hopefully as soon as next year.
 

mngg11 said:
Quantitatively, sure, they're not good. Objectively, however, they're great considering all of the injuries and roster deficiencies. Medved will have them rolling once he's got his own roster from top to bottom, hopefully as soon as next year.
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Not to turn this into bball discussion, but the last sentence is kinda the whole thing though. Clearly he can coach and has a system that works. The question is always going to be if he can get the athletes he needs to get to come here.
 

Gopher Mac said:
Both Women and men's are good now. But neither is drawing any crowds. This years womens attendance is no better than any of the last 5 years. Womens basketball is losing money at a record pace.
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This is the first year they've started winning though, right? I think there are very few diehards ... so my guess is simply that people don't know.

Hopefully they made a decent splash in Women's March Madness this year and then people will say "Oh! Look, Gopher are pretty good now ... maybe we should go check them out next year, bring our [daughter/neice/etc.]
 


GopherGrit said:
Not to turn this into bball discussion, but the last sentence is kinda the whole thing though. Clearly he can coach and has a system that works. The question is always going to be if he can get the athletes he needs to get to come here.
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I think with basketball, at least comparatively to football, you don't need a ton of players to play at a super high level all season to have what would be considered a very successful season. Just a couple high caliber guys and a bunch of mid level role players, especially with whatever scheme Medved has been running, playing at a consistently above average level. It appears that Medveds scheme is complementary to just about anyone with average D1 talent who's willing to play team ball.
 

GopherGrit said:
This is the first year they've started winning though, right? I think there are very few diehards ... so my guess is simply that people don't know.

Hopefully they made a decent splash in Women's March Madness this year and then people will say "Oh! Look, Gopher are pretty good now ... maybe we should go check them out next year, bring our [daughter/neice/etc.]
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Could happen and we seem to have a nice incoming group of freshmen...don't know how many roster spots we have for the portal...but we do lose our 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th contributors in points and minutes played. Among them is our point guard Battle.
And transfers do seem common...hopefully our top 3 return.
So, I hope buzz elevates versus diminishing. But no matter what will we be projected as a Top 4 team next year? And Braun and GG will be seniors next year...so possible but not a clear ascending path.
 

GopherGrit said:
It's hard for me to accept that a booster made a major donation only because the AD talked him into it.

I could believe that a bad/jerk of an AD could convince someone not to make the donation, or to wait longer to make it.

Most of the money comes from TV now, which has nothing to do with your AD. Or players are getting paid by 3rd party NIL deals, which also have nothing to do with the AD.

And so, I question the idea of the AD as a fund raiser, being something that matters or moves the needle.


So .... what would you say you do, around here??

Pretty much it's hiring the coaches and then I assume just a bunch of administration and monitoring the accounting/finances of the department.
Click to expand...
You described how Coyle seems to view his job description. But, myself and AI see it differently...
AI Overview:
For a D1 AD, the ability to generate revenue through philanthropy is often the primary metric for long-term sustainability and success. Fundraising is
absolutely critical for a Division 1 athletic director (AD), as it often accounts for a significant portion of the department's operating budget, with roughly 86% of ADs relying on it for, at minimum, partial funding. Beyond basic operations, effective fundraising is necessary for funding capital projects, enhancing facilities, supporting coaching salaries, and managing rising costs associated with scholarships and, increasingly, revenue sharing.

  • Essential Revenue Source: With budgets ranging from

    $25 to $60
    million at many mid-major schools, and even higher at top-tier institutions, fundraising fills critical gaps left by ticket sales and institutional support.
  • Facilities "Arms Race": ADs must secure funding for major, competitive infrastructure projects to keep facilities up to par.
  • NIL and Revenue Sharing: The rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collectives and potential revenue-sharing models with athletes adds immense pressure to cultivate major donors.
  • Relationship Management: Success depends on building long-term relationships with donors and, increasingly, utilizing digital platforms to broaden the donor base.
  • Budget Management: Fundraising is not just for extras; it is often required to sustain basic operations, especially when budgets are cut or when supporting non-revenue sports.
For a D1 AD, the ability to generate revenue through philanthropy is often the primary metric for long-term sustainability and success.

Big Gifts Matter Now More Than Ever - Athletic Director U
May 15, 2024 — As a young fundraiser, I was curious about the process that made these gifts a reality. Almost 15 years later, my curiosity led to...

The Dynamic Role Of The Modern Day College Athletics Director
Advanced knowledge of strategic, operational & financial business planning, including most significantly capital and investment bu...

Examining Athletic Donors at NCAA - ResearchGate
Charitable giving is one of the fastest growing areas of athletic department revenue (Howard & Crompton, 1995; Sperber, 1990). A r...

It copied and pasted whacky but you get the idea....




































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gopherbadgerman said:
I feel the Gophers should be in the top half of the conference in athletic budget, especially with all of the teams they field. Somewhere between 5th and 8th.
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Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda.........This is the result of ineffectual leadership in the Athletic Department, the University Administration, the Regents, and the State Legislature over decades.

Look at the last three ADs....

Maturi, who seemed committed to promoting the women's rowing team while withholding resources needed to compete in the programs that pay for all the other programs (Men's and Women's). No one has ever convinced me he wasn't a plant to keep Wisconsin ahead of the Gophers in sports (Tim Brewster, anyone?). Ineffectual in just about every way you can be, EXCEPT his communication with fans was stellar (even if it was at the expense of doing his job).

So we kinda got serious about trying to change the funding situation and went after a guy known for being a fundraiser and promoter of programs. In that pursuit, we ended up getting that, as well as accomplished Sexual Harasser, and evidence that the Admin didn't even do the minimum level of background checks. Thanks, MegaTongue.

Now we have an incompetent twit who doesn't connect with donors, didn't have the balls to make difficult decisions, poured gasoline on internal fires because of his lack of balls, and is so ineffectual in his communication PJ is in the same position Kill was, having to cover for the AD's glaring shortcomings (Coyle is by no means an outlier in incompentence as an AD at Minnesota), although PJ is better at it than Kill was.

The only hesitation in wanting him gone is that the Admin is consistently bad at hiring ADs. Tom Moe was the best hire since Paul Giel, but he was a short-term fix hired to do a job, which he did extremely well. There are a few people out there with ties to the U who would be good hires for the job here, but most know the Admin too well to seriously consider it, I fear.
 



60's Guy said:
You described how Coyle seems to view his job description. But, myself and AI see it differently...
AI Overview:
For a D1 AD, the ability to generate revenue through philanthropy is often the primary metric for long-term sustainability and success. Fundraising is
absolutely critical for a Division 1 athletic director (AD), as it often accounts for a significant portion of the department's operating budget, with roughly 86% of ADs relying on it for, at minimum, partial funding. Beyond basic operations, effective fundraising is necessary for funding capital projects, enhancing facilities, supporting coaching salaries, and managing rising costs associated with scholarships and, increasingly, revenue sharing.

  • Essential Revenue Source: With budgets ranging from

    $25 to $60
    million at many mid-major schools, and even higher at top-tier institutions, fundraising fills critical gaps left by ticket sales and institutional support.
  • Facilities "Arms Race": ADs must secure funding for major, competitive infrastructure projects to keep facilities up to par.
  • NIL and Revenue Sharing: The rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collectives and potential revenue-sharing models with athletes adds immense pressure to cultivate major donors.
  • Relationship Management: Success depends on building long-term relationships with donors and, increasingly, utilizing digital platforms to broaden the donor base.
  • Budget Management: Fundraising is not just for extras; it is often required to sustain basic operations, especially when budgets are cut or when supporting non-revenue sports.
For a D1 AD, the ability to generate revenue through philanthropy is often the primary metric for long-term sustainability and success.

Big Gifts Matter Now More Than Ever - Athletic Director U
May 15, 2024 — As a young fundraiser, I was curious about the process that made these gifts a reality. Almost 15 years later, my curiosity led to...

The Dynamic Role Of The Modern Day College Athletics Director
Advanced knowledge of strategic, operational & financial business planning, including most significantly capital and investment bu...

Examining Athletic Donors at NCAA - ResearchGate
Charitable giving is one of the fastest growing areas of athletic department revenue (Howard & Crompton, 1995; Sperber, 1990). A r...

It copied and pasted whacky but you get the idea....
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Appreciate the post but this sentiment seems quite outdated when the vast majority of the revenue coming into the department comes from TV/media contracts and gameday revenues.

Donations is more than nothing for sure, but they also often have strict requirements about how they're spent. And now donors have avenues to put that money directly in the pockets of players without feeling like a dirty bagman.

I feel firmly entrenched that it makes no sense for some rich guy to say something like "I wasn't sure if I was going to donation nine figures to the U .... but the Athletic Director talked me into it!" I wonder if that phrase has ever been uttered?
 


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