Pasadena Paycheck Is No Fast Buck WSU’s Rose Bowl Visit Helps Invest In Future

Washington State is in the Rose Bowl, but not in the money. At least not yet.

If earning a long-awaited trip to Pasadena seemed like hitting the lotto, there is at least one similarity: Instead of an immediate windfall, any payoffs will be dispersed over time.

WSU hopes that means increased donations to the athletic department, although there are no guarantees. Sure, the athletic department received an extra $1.248 million from the Pacific-10 Conference, but that was merely to finance a travel party that could exceed 800 people. As of Friday, barely $30,000 remained.

This is not scandalous news, but rather standard practice for participants in major bowls. The Cougars are simply new to the game.

“I was shocked a few years ago when USC used every bit of its $900,000-plus budget to go across town,” WSU athletic director Rick Dickson said. “We’re going to be down there 12 or 13 days, just like Michigan, and when you figure the cost of lodging and per diem and all those things, it’s been hard to keep it within the budget.”

The $1.248 million included an expense budget of $935,611 and another $312,800 to cover air travel. The Cougars will also receive their usual 10 percent cut of Rose Bowl profits, which should be roughly $750,000.

“The financial impact of going to the Rose Bowl is not direct,” Dickson said. “It’s more in the form of donation increases and merchandising.”

WSU reaped no such rewards after playing in lowprofile bowl games after the 1992 and ‘94 seasons. The Rose Bowl is expected to be far more instrumental, especially since WSU hadn’t qualified in 67 years.

Oregon, which ended a 37-year Rose Bowl drought four years ago, claims to be reaping the benefits still.

“Our enrollment figures went up, our alumni association memberships went up and our institutional fund-raising skyrocketed,” said Oregon athletic director Bill Moos, who worked previously at Montana and WSU. “Support of intercollegiate athletics increased dramatically in terms of donations and season-ticket sales, which have broken records every year since.”

After going to the Rose Bowl, Oregon needed just nine months to raise $14 million for new practice facilities, Moos said.

“That couldn’t have occurred without the great feeling that our alumni and friends have in regard to the success of our football program,” Moos said. “We were also able to build our academic enhancement center for all student-athletes while increasing salaries and budgets for other programs.”

Oregon helped its cause by following up its Rose Bowl season with a trip to the Cotton Bowl. The Ducks have since posted two more winning seasons.

Whether WSU can generate similar gains is uncertain.

Cougar Club president Mike Connell, whose office oversees donations, has reason to be optimistic.

According to Connell, an anonymous donor who usually donates $50,000 every six months kicked in an additional $50,000 as a Rose Bowl bonus.

“He’ll have good seats for the game,” Connell assured.

, DataTimes