(07-14-2009 10:04 PM)stebo Wrote:  Quick - name the last 5 national champs in swimming! Schools do not make decisions based on their swim teams. The purpose of an athletic department is to build school pride and tie alumni to the University for donations. Do they even charge fans to get into a swim meet? I am really not trying to be an a-hole but Div I athletics are about the money and prestige. Basketball is a sport that UNO can rejuvenate and build around but they can't put the money into it properly if they are sending their swim team to Florida, Alabama, Kentucky, Texas, etc, etc for swim meets and not gettting any revenue in exchange.

I am going to drop this because I feel like a broken record - good luck to your kid and I hope that they are able to get a GREAT education at UNO with their scholarship. I am fairly certain that they will not be in the Belt for the 2013 season, but your kiddo should be close to graduation by then. I respect that you are bought into the school and just wish that they had more fans and alumni like you that were passionate enough to fund their programs properly.

You are obviously not aware of the fact that the UNO men's swimming and diving program nets the university money. As does the women's program. You see, unlike basketball, baseball and football there are very limited numbers of scholarships available. There is no such thing as a full boat in swimming. That vast majority of tuition, room and board are paid for by the athletes themselves to the degree that academic scholarships do not cover them. The revenue to the university from these outside dues more than covers their expenses. Cutting swimming would cost the university general fund money.

(07-14-2009 10:16 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  You might want to check your tax advice. Athletic department donations are 100% deductible if you receive nothing of value for your donation. If you receive parking or ticket priority those benefits are assigned a value and you deduct the amount in excess of that value.

Bingo! You see, when you are deceased you gain no value. Thanks for the clarification, arkstfan!

(07-14-2009 10:21 PM)AsylumGuido Wrote:  

(07-14-2009 10:16 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  You might want to check your tax advice. Athletic department donations are 100% deductible if you receive nothing of value for your donation. If you receive parking or ticket priority those benefits are assigned a value and you deduct the amount in excess of that value.

Bingo! You see, when you are deceased you gain no value. Thanks for the clarification, arkstfan!

Guess I need to add my email sig to my posts

IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE:
Any Federal tax advice contained herein is not written to be used for, and the recipient and any subsequent reader cannot use such advice for, the purpose of avoiding any penalties asserted under the Internal Revenue Code. Each reader should seek advice from an independent tax advisor with respect to the transaction or matter addressed herein based on the reader's particular circumstances.

Lol, of course the Mean Green Club gives us benefits, access to hospitality decks, suites, and rooms with alcohol, food, and goodies. There are gifts that are distributed as well for those donations. Hell, I have flown on the team plane for 5 football games and stayed in the team hotel. Donors get benefits, that is why they keep giving.

(07-15-2009 08:58 AM)stebo Wrote:  Lol, of course the Mean Green Club gives us benefits, access to hospitality decks, suites, and rooms with alcohol, food, and goodies. There are gifts that are distributed as well for those donations. Hell, I have flown on the team plane for 5 football games and stayed in the team hotel. Donors get benefits, that is why they keep giving.

Given the alternative of dying, I guess the benefits you gets from your donations offsets the reduced deductions.

(07-14-2009 10:16 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  You might want to check your tax advice. Athletic department donations are 100% deductible if you receive nothing of value for your donation. If you receive parking or ticket priority those benefits are assigned a value and you deduct the amount in excess of that value.

The IRS has an 80/20 rule for donations with regard to benefits. If you are accepting parking benefits, preferred seating, priority points, etc, then you can claim 80% of the donation.

The IRS recognizes it is nearly impossible to put a value on those benefits, thus the 80/20 rule.

With USA going I-A, my opinion has changed in regard to conference make-up. With 10 football schools, I would like to see SBC only have those 10 teams. Then on basketball side, you could have 18-game schedule, round-robin!

(07-17-2009 08:30 PM)galojah Wrote:  With USA going I-A, my opinion has changed in regard to conference make-up. With 10 football schools, I would like to see SBC only have those 10 teams. Then on basketball side, you could have 18-game schedule, round-robin!

I think 10/12 is a good mix. UNO and UALR are in good markets and have some sports that boost RPI. More importantly they are "bridge" schools for travel. You can't bus from Denton to Jonesboro or Denton to MT or WKU without going through Little Rock. It's an easy bus ride from Monroe. Likewise UNO sits right between USA and ULL.

(07-18-2009 08:04 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  I think 10/12 is a good mix. UNO and UALR are in good markets and have some sports that boost RPI. More importantly they are "bridge" schools for travel. You can't bus from Denton to Jonesboro or Denton to MT or WKU without going through Little Rock. It's an easy bus ride from Monroe. Likewise UNO sits right between USA and UL.

....and I would trade UNO and UALR with TEXAS STATE and UTSA any day of the week.

(07-18-2009 08:30 AM)CAJUNNATION Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 08:04 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  I think 10/12 is a good mix. UNO and UALR are in good markets and have some sports that boost RPI. More importantly they are "bridge" schools for travel. You can't bus from Denton to Jonesboro or Denton to MT or WKU without going through Little Rock. It's an easy bus ride from Monroe. Likewise UNO sits right between USA and UL.

....and I would trade UNO and UALR with TEXAS STATE and UTSA any day of the week.

It's not a choice that's available to us and I'd rather have UNO and UALR than those two absolutely.

Congrats to UNO. I hope UNO is able to remain a productive member of the Belt for as long as they chose. I really don't understand the constant harangue of football fans who want to rid the league of non-football playing teams. I can understand that Denver does not fit the conference footprint and it would probably be better for them and the Belt to part ways. However, I have no idea why many think that UALR and UNO should not be in the Belt. How does limiting the league to football playing members have any significant positive effect? Not to mention the obvious, that UNO and UALR have been Belt members longer than most of the football playing universities.

Other asides: There are no differences in tax treatment between giving to an athletic program or any other charity. As in any charitable contribution you must deduct any tangible benefits received from the gross amount of the donation to derive the deductible contribution. I doubt UNO swimming program is a big factor in any conference decision. They may be rated in a questionable mid-major poll but they are near the bottom in the Belt. UNO is neither a private school or particularly small. IMO a lot of people still don't understand the great effect of Katrina on New Orleans and the institutions in it. UNO and Tulane need to be supported not criticized that they haven't recovered as fast as someone with limited knowledge of the New Orleans situation may think warranted.

(07-18-2009 08:30 AM)CAJUNNATION Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 08:04 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  I think 10/12 is a good mix. UNO and UALR are in good markets and have some sports that boost RPI. More importantly they are "bridge" schools for travel. You can't bus from Denton to Jonesboro or Denton to MT or WKU without going through Little Rock. It's an easy bus ride from Monroe. Likewise UNO sits right between USA and UL.

....and I would trade UNO and UALR with TEXAS STATE and UTSA any day of the week.

Despite the fact that you wouldn't be playing Sun Belt football if not for the leadership shown by UNO. Their chancellor mediate many of the early meetings. UNO and UALR are productive.

TSU and UTSA have done nothing to demonstrate they would play any sport at our level but let's throw a life raft to anyone floating by.

(07-19-2009 09:24 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 08:30 AM)CAJUNNATION Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 08:04 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  I think 10/12 is a good mix. UNO and UALR are in good markets and have some sports that boost RPI. More importantly they are "bridge" schools for travel. You can't bus from Denton to Jonesboro or Denton to MT or WKU without going through Little Rock. It's an easy bus ride from Monroe. Likewise UNO sits right between USA and UL.

....and I would trade UNO and UALR with TEXAS STATE and UTSA any day of the week.

Despite the fact that you wouldn't be playing Sun Belt football if not for the leadership shown by UNO. Their chancellor mediate many of the early meetings. UNO and UALR are productive.

TSU and UTSA have done nothing to demonstrate they would play any sport at our level but let's throw a life raft to anyone floating by.

That is simply not true. Here is an example of one such "any sport". In baseball this year, Texas State beat a ranked Baylor twice, a ranked Rice and Texas Tech, and in the DI regionals played nationally ranked army and Boston Collage in close games - the BC game was settled in the last inning. In softball, Texas state beat Texas A&M, went to the DI regionals and humiliated Nortwestern.

(07-19-2009 05:47 PM)tux Wrote:  

(07-19-2009 09:24 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 08:30 AM)CAJUNNATION Wrote:  

(07-18-2009 08:04 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  I think 10/12 is a good mix. UNO and UALR are in good markets and have some sports that boost RPI. More importantly they are "bridge" schools for travel. You can't bus from Denton to Jonesboro or Denton to MT or WKU without going through Little Rock. It's an easy bus ride from Monroe. Likewise UNO sits right between USA and UL.

....and I would trade UNO and UALR with TEXAS STATE and UTSA any day of the week.

Despite the fact that you wouldn't be playing Sun Belt football if not for the leadership shown by UNO. Their chancellor mediate many of the early meetings. UNO and UALR are productive.

TSU and UTSA have done nothing to demonstrate they would play any sport at our level but let's throw a life raft to anyone floating by.

That is simply not true. Here is an example of one such "any sport". In baseball this year, Texas State beat a ranked Baylor twice, a ranked Rice and Texas Tech, and in the DI regionals played nationally ranked army and Boston Collage in close games - the BC game was settled in the last inning. In softball, Texas state beat Texas A&M, went to the DI regionals and humiliated Nortwestern.

And TSU went 2 and out in the NCAA Tournament which is different than facing mid-week pitching.

Softball, talk to the ULL fans.

(07-18-2009 11:19 PM)Grandgreen Wrote:  Congrats to UNO. I hope UNO is able to remain a productive member of the Belt for as long as they chose. I really don't understand the constant harangue of football fans who want to rid the league of non-football playing teams. I can understand that Denver does not fit the conference footprint and it would probably be better for them and the Belt to part ways. However, I have no idea why many think that UALR and UNO should not be in the Belt. How does limiting the league to football playing members have any significant positive effect? Not to mention the obvious, that UNO and UALR have been Belt members longer than most of the football playing universities.

Other asides: There are no differences in tax treatment between giving to an athletic program or any other charity. As in any charitable contribution you must deduct any tangible benefits received from the gross amount of the donation to derive the deductible contribution. I doubt UNO swimming program is a big factor in any conference decision. They may be rated in a questionable mid-major poll but they are near the bottom in the Belt. UNO is neither a private school or particularly small. IMO a lot of people still don't understand the great effect of Katrina on New Orleans and the institutions in it. UNO and Tulane need to be supported not criticized that they haven't recovered as fast as someone with limited knowledge of the New Orleans situation may think warranted.

One must remember that the mid-major ranking was for men's team made up entirely of freshmen given that it was the program's first year. Five incoming freshmen and a redshirt freshmen will join the team this season. Look for much more out of the Privateers this season.