THE MORE THINGS CHANGE . . .
Baseball America|February 2021
College baseball teams continue their search to make their sport a revenue generator
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE . . .

Even at a time when the College World Series is the NCAA’s second-most profitable event, baseball programs are still trying to find ways to consistently generate revenue at the school level.

This has been true since the first issue of Baseball America was published in 1981. At the time, Miami was one of the most successful programs in the nation but had seen its budget slashed by 40%. Hurricanes coach Ron Fraser, who would go on to win national championships in 1982 and ’85, found that a little ingenuity went a long way.

The following excerpt is taken from the February 1981 issue of BA. The headline read “Miami’s Fraser finds way to counter budget slash,” and the story was written by Mike Smith of the Miami News.

In college football and basketball, on-the-field success equaling off-the-field $ucce$$ is the name of the game.

Now take the University of Miami baseball team. The Hurricanes were their sport’s top-ranked club last regular season, winning 59 times in 71 games, a third consecutive NCAA regional and College World Series berth.

Yet those achievements were overshadowed this past offseason when the Miami athletic department saw fit to slash the baseball team’s operating budget for 1981 by 40%.

Miami was as popular as it was talented last year, smashing home attendance marks by more than 11,000 and appearing five times on local television, twice nationally.

No matter, though. The Hurricanes were literally forced to hit the road to Gainesville and Tallahassee for meetings with intrastate rivals Florida and Florida State, because the cupboard containing Miami travel funds was bare.

Esta historia es de la edición February 2021 de Baseball America.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición February 2021 de Baseball America.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE BASEBALL AMERICAVer todo
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Baseball America

Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.

Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.

time-read
2 minutos  |
August/September 2024
ROAD BLOCK?
Baseball America

ROAD BLOCK?

Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha

time-read
4 minutos  |
August/September 2024
ROYALS REVIVAL
Baseball America

ROYALS REVIVAL

A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound

time-read
6 minutos  |
August/September 2024
SUMMER STANDOUTS
Baseball America

SUMMER STANDOUTS

The top prospects in summer college leagues are poised to impact the 2025 draft

time-read
7 minutos  |
August/September 2024
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Baseball America

FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10

Last year’s Florida Complex League prospect crop has been beset by lengthy injuries to many of its top players, including Yankees pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange, Mets infielder Marco Vargas and Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia.

time-read
6 minutos  |
August/September 2024
IN WITH THE NEW
Baseball America

IN WITH THE NEW

The 2024 draft is in the books. The trade deadline is history.

time-read
3 minutos  |
August/September 2024
WALCOTT BLASTS OFF
Baseball America

WALCOTT BLASTS OFF

It took some time for Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott to find his footing at High-A Hickory.

time-read
2 minutos  |
August/September 2024
A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS
Baseball America

A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS

Four key takeaways from the 2024 draft

time-read
4 minutos  |
August/September 2024
K.C.MASTERPIECE
Baseball America

K.C.MASTERPIECE

Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. wins games for the Royals with his bat, glove, speed and baseball IQ. He might be the most tooled-up player in the game.

time-read
7 minutos  |
August/September 2024
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
Baseball America

HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS

When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.

time-read
2 minutos  |
May 2024