Payouts to lesser teams becoming major expense
OXFORD — When tiny Samford, a Football Championship Subdivision team, comes to Ole Miss this Saturday, there’s very little chance the Bulldogs will walk away from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with a victory.
But no matter what, they’ll leave $375,000 richer because of guaranteed money from Ole Miss in exchange for playing the nearly unwinnable game.
Later this season, Louisiana-Monroe rolls into town to provide a tougher challenge. The Warhawks have pulled upsets over SEC teams before, most recently downing Alabama in Tuscaloosa last year. But win or lose, ULM will earn $525,000 – the biggest guarantee Ole Miss has ever paid an opponent for a home game.
And, according to Ole Miss finance director John Hartwell, those payouts could be chump change when compared to the numbers in the future.
clarionledger.com
9/9/08
Magnolia Tribune
