Huskies athletic director starts dash for cash

SEATTLE — To help stop the flow of red ink pouring onto the bottom line of University of Washington athletics, athletic director Todd Turner plans to re-invest in the football program.

That means Tyee Club members, season-ticket holders and other donors will need to pitch in.

“We need to invest in giving our staff the tools they need to compete,” Turner said. “We need $5 million to $6 million immediately, and this is only to help football.”

Turner unveiled a plan Friday to help make up lost money from unfulfilled expectations from lost television revenue and from steadily declining season-ticket numbers. The plan also has long-term goals of renovating Husky Stadium.

The success of the plan, however, depends heavily on the success of the football program, Turner said.

Turner sent a letter to all Tyee Club members this week advising them of the plan, explaining that he knows the importance of having “not just a good football team, but a great football team” and outlined his plan to accomplish that.

The plan is to first hire a football coach who would trigger excitement in the program and, as a result, help make up for lost revenues along the way.

To that end, Turner said he has “a narrowing number of talented, capable candidates and I hope to come to closure rapidly.”

While such marquee names as Jeff Tedford, Urban Meyer, Bobby Petrino and Dan Hawkins have become unavailable, former Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham, Boston College coach Tom O’Brien and Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Tice are among the reported candidates.

“We have to find the right leader,” Turner said. “We are well on our way of doing that.”

Yet to do so, the coach and his staff must be allowed to succeed, which will take money, Turner said.

One phase of the plan is to increase football seats for Tyee members by $25 each. Season-ticket holders also will be asked to chip in a yet-undetermined amount.

The funds will go into the football program. Turner added that he believes he will need to dip into a $13 million surplus fund built over the years.

“Initially, the money will go to things that are basic, but in need of help: budgetary enhancements, improving the environment where our players train and our coaches prepare,” Turner said. “That is paramount. We need to waste no time. We’re going to ask those who love Washington football to provide the resources to help make that happen.”

In the past year, Turner said, revenues fell short of the projected budget by $2.5 million. The 2004 football season, in which the team lost 10 of 11 games, generated about $1 million less income than expected. Unrealized television revenue came to more than $600,000.

Out-of-state tuition has increased 33 percent since 2001, while in-state tuition rose about 18 percent in that same period.

Since 2000, season tickets have fallen by about 10 percent, from about 63,500 to 57,500.

Should the losses continue, Turner said, existing athletic programs at Washington could be in peril. The football program revenues play a large part in funding other athletic programs.

“While the world moves on, if we don’t figure out how to generate the funds to keep up, it’s going to be hard for us to invest more in football without having some help,” Turner said.

Turner’s theory is that the initial investment will kick-start the program for future investments, including refurbishing Husky Stadium. That depends heavily on the success of the football program.

“We need to get our football program playing at a higher level before we get into anything else,” Turner said. “To do that, we have to have the right leader in place and give them the tools they need. What we are talking about is exclusively dedicated to football. I’m hoping that the Tyee Club and our season-ticket holders will be motivated by that.”

Turner said he hoped a plan to renovate Husky Stadium would be in place in three to five years. He said the plan is based upon plans used by Michigan, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, LSU, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina and North Carolina State.

“All of them have made significant enhancements, made through the loyalty of their supporters,” Turner said.