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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW No place to call home ... Highway 140 crash sends four to hospital ... Fire destroys Ashland mobile home ... No place to call home ... Highway 140 crash sends four to hospital ... Fire destroys Ashland mobile home ... OUR VIEW Our View: SOU athletic success means higher costs Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News The dramatic improvement in the performance of Southern Oregon University's athletic teams in recent years has left SOU's Athletic Department budget with a $1.2 million deficit. While national championships and strong playoff showings help boost the university's profile outside the state, they come at a steep price. SOU competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Unlike the big-time schools in Division I of the NCAA, such as Oregon and Oregon State, NAIA schools don't get television revenue and they don't attract the Phil Knight-level donations that keep major college sports programs afloat. What's more, SOU's football team plays in the Frontier Conference, with only one other team in Oregon. The rest are in Montana and Idaho, so even regular-season travel gets spendy. But it's the post-season that's breaking the bank. Playoff runs by the women's basketball, volleyball, cross-country and track teams, plus men's basketball, wrestling, cross country and track squads, mean travel to tournaments and games in such far-flung places as Florida, North Carolina, Iowa, Kansas and Tennessee. Playoffs are costing an extra $500,000 a year. In the past, the university's teams did not do nearly as well, so the Athletic Department never needed a reserve fund to finance post-season travel. Now it does. There aren't many ways to make up that $1.2 million beyond asking alumni and other donors to ramp up giving and by charging more for tickets at home games. Ticket sales to home games have increased along with the success, and that helps some, but it's not enough. Student athletes also do fundraisers. Meanwhile, the university has been in the midst of budget-cutting to save $6 million a year by cutting faculty positions, classes and entire majors. When academics are suffering, it's not a good time for the Athletic Department to ask for more money. Athletic success does benefit the university by raising its profile and attracting student athletes. If more students come to SOU, especially from out of state, that helps the bottom line. The Board of Trustees will address the issue when it meets in June. Likely steps include a plan to pay off the deficit gradually over several years while building a reserve fund. What must not happen is for athletics to take precedence over the university's core academic mission. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 9, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501