CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kent State’s football team was supposed to play at Penn State, Kentucky and Alabama early this season.
Let’s repeat that: Kent State was supposed to play Penn State, Alabama and Kentucky in FOOTBALL from Sept. 5-26.
All the games were on the road. To take a beating in those three games, Kent State was to be paid $5 million to help with its athletic budget.
All of those games are gone because of COVID-19 wiping out parts of schedules. They will be doing “who knows what” when and if college football actually plays.
The University of Akron was supposed to play at Clemson on Sept. 19 for $1.1 million. That game has been canceled.
Last season, Kent State played at Arizona State, Auburn and Wisconsin. The Flashes lost those games by a combined score of 133-23. But they were paid about $3.7 million.
Kent turned around and had a 5-3 record in the MAC and beat Utah State 51-41 in the Frisco Bowl. So this is not to diminish how the program has grown under coach Sean Lewis.
Relying on “money games” is common not only for Mid-American Conference football programs, but also lesser Division I conferences such as the Sun Belt, the American and Conference USA.
According to a story by Allen Moff of the Kent-Ravenna Courier, Kent State made the decision in 2018 to play three “money games” with Power Five conference teams per season.
That’s a high price to pay for any MAC football program. Not only are you likely to take a pounding on the scoreboard, there also is an added element of injuries when facing teams that are bigger, faster and stronger.
According to a story by Associated Press writer Ralph Russo, “This season, 39 major college football programs have scheduled 49 ‘buy’ games estimated at $65 million...12 MAC teams are playing 18 ‘guarantee’ games this season.”
Central Michigan has lost games at Nebraska and Northwestern to the virus...and more than $2 million in guarantees. Eastern Michigan won’t receive its $1.5 million for games at Missouri and Kentucky,
There will probably be a legal battle as big-time schools certainly won’t want to pay $1 million or more for games not played. The MAC schools in money games will want the cash because it’s needed for their athletic departments.
Lawyers will be trying to settle these disputes.
THEY STILL LOSE MONEY
Even with their $3.6 million in payouts from three football games in 2019, Kent State student fees still covered nearly 50% of the $29 million athletic budget.
