With Syracuse advancing to its first Final Four since 1996, it seems everyone will be taking SU’s success straight to the bank in dollar-signed sacks. Whether it be the student who sells his tickets to a broker or the merchandisers on Marshall Street, everyone, it seems, is making a profit.

Everyone except Syracuse, claims Director of Athletics Jake Crouthamel.

‘(We get) nothing,’ Crouthamel said. ‘Everything is cost.’

Apparently, by advancing to the Final Four, Syracuse loses money. While the NCAA pays for the team’s hotel and transportation costs, the bucks stop there.

The NCAA determines the Final Four ticket price, and Syracuse will sell all 4,500 of its tickets at that value. That means SU doesn’t make a penny. Add the housing and transportation for the coaches’ wives and players’ families — both of which are not covered by the NCAA — and SU finishes Final Four weekend in the red.

For the first four games of the tournament, the NCAA covers 75 travel and housing accommodations. In the Final Four, the NCAA covers 100 accommodations.

‘It’s not a money-making operation,’ Crouthamel said. ‘It’s a money-losing one.’

Although SU is losing money by appearing in the Final Four, there are incentives for achieving college basketball’s penultimate goal.

The Big East profits handsomely when it has a Final Four representative. Each year, the conference awards ‘units’ to all the teams that make the tournament from the Big East. Another unit is awarded for every victory by a conference team. Each year, the NCAA determines the universal dollar value of the unit and rewards the conference accordingly.

Then, it’s the conference’s job to distribute the funds among the teams. In the Big East’s case, the money earned from units would be split evenly among the 12 teams. When a Big East team makes the Final Four, it is awarded ‘trivial assistance,’ or 1 percent of the conference’s funds. The other 99 percent goes into the 12-team pot.

The teams are paid according to the number of units earned in the last six years. The Big East earned 69 units from 1997-2002. Next year, the units will reflect SU’s Final Four run, taking into consideration 1998-2003. The Big East earned 14 units this year.

‘In a given year, 14 (units) is very good,’ Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese said. ‘All six major conferences are in the same area with the Big Ten or Big 12 at the top of the list.’

One of those Big 12 teams earning major money for its conference is Texas, Syracuse’s semifinal round opponent. Texas Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds said Texas makes a huge profit, despite the added travel and hotel expenses.

Dodds said Texas earns approximately $130,000 in ticket revenue for each game. Texas will play at least five games in this tournament, making the total ticket revenue $650,000. Dodds anticipates Texas’ expenses to be approximately $100,000, but that pales in comparison to the money earned for the program and the conference.

Both Syracuse and Texas were allotted 4,500 Final Four tickets to offer fans. Texas sold all of its allotment, and has a long waiting list for seats. Syracuse’s allotment of tickets sold out yesterday.

With millions of dollars likely changing hands this weekend, Syracuse has to be wondering where its cut of the money is. Scalpers will undoubtedly make thousands of dollars. The NCAA will make its usual Final Four dough in merchandise and other amenities. And the city of New Orleans will see a huge influx of business all week.

This weekend Syracuse will pay a price for its success. The amount? It’s yet to be determined. But it is known that SU’s efforts in the Final Four will make many people around them a little bit richer.

‘They probably don’t get just due,’ Tranghese said. ‘But hopefully they will.’

Published on April 1, 2003 at 12:00 pm