You asked several questions regarding the UConn women's basketball program. You wanted to know (1) how much revenue it generates; (2) what it costs to operate, including ancillary costs; (3) the value and funding source for players' scholarships; and (4) the program's graduation rate.

You asked these questions in response to a recent OLR report, 2009-R-0129, concerning the men's basketball program.

SUMMARY

In FY 08, the UConn women's basketball program generated $12 million in direct and indirect revenue and spent $6.3 million in direct and indirect expenses. This included $494,023 in players' scholarships paid by the Division of Athletics. This compares to $14.07 million in revenue and $7.8 million in expenses for the men's basketball program during the same period.

The graduation rate for women's basketball players who entered in the 2001-02 school year is 100%. This compares to 33% for men's basketball players and 74% for all UConn Storrs freshman in this cohort. The 2001 freshman cohort graduation rate among all Division I women's basketball programs was 65%.

REVENUES AND EXPENSES

Table 1 shows FY 08 revenue and expenses for the UConn women's basketball program. The program earned a total $12 million during this period; $5.2 million in direct revenue and $6.7 million in indirect revenue. This compares to $7.3 million in direct revenue and $6.7 million in indirect revenue for the men's basketball program in FY 08.

The women's basketball program spent $6.3 million in FY 08. This includes $4.6 million in direct expenses (including $494,023 in scholarships), $0.13 million for support staff, and $1.5 million in other Division of Athletics' indirect expenses attributable to the program. (The support staff expense total includes $32,500 for an academic advisor and academic tutors paid for by UConn's Office of the Provost.) In comparison, the men's basketball program spent $6 million in direct expenses, $0.3 million for support staff, and $1.5 million in indirect expenses in this same period.

As with the men's program, The Division of Athletics attributes 27% of its total indirect revenue and 30% of its indirect expenses to the women's basketball program.

Table 1. UConn Women's Basketball: FY 08 Revenue and Expenses Summary

Table 1 Continued

*Expenses paid by the Office of the Provost

(a) This advisor also serves as the Counseling Program for Intercollegiate Athletes director; Amount included represents 25% of the advisor's total salary

Source: UConn Government Relations Office

Table 2. UConn Division of Athletics Indirect Revenue

Source: UConn Government Relations Office

Table 3. UConn Division of Athletics Indirect Expenses

Table 3 Contined

Source: UConn Government Relations Office

GRADUATION RATE

The six-year graduation rate for students who entered the UConn Storrs campus in Fall 2001 is 74% (Higher Education Counts 2009 Report, Department of Higher Education). The graduation rate for UConn women's basketball players who entered in this cohort is 100%. The four-class average graduation rate for women's basketball players entering from 1998-99 through 2001-02 is 83%. (This compares to 33% for men's basketball players in the 2001 cohort.) Alternatively, the 2001 freshman cohort graduation rate among all Division I women's basketball programs was 65% (National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA] Graduation Success Rates Reports).

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