The University of Missouri saw generous donations after winning an unexpected second consecutive SEC East title in 2014. It also helped that the basketball team had won at least 23 games from 2008-2014, that included a pair of 30 win seasons.
The athletic department received $685,000 in December of 2014 according to The Columbia Tribune, but that changed just a year later, after a down football season filled with controversy.
Mizzou athletic donations down nearly 25% year to year Dec '14 to Dec '15 per Columbia Tribune.
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) February 21, 2016
The Tigers went just 5-7 in Gary Pinkel’s 15th year at the school. The previous two seasons, they went 11-3, and 12-2 and made the SEC Championship Game both seasons. Along with the losing record, there was a player boycott that received national attention. The players would sit out practices and games until the University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe resigned, which he did.
After a rough 2015, the athletic department received $191,000 in cash donations in the month of December, down nearly $500,000, a 68.7 percent decline.
According to The Columbia Tribune, the school somewhat made up for it in January, but overall, the cash contributions to the school were down since last year by nearly 25 percent.
MU’s athletic director Mack Rhoades explained the factors that went into the money situation:
“There’s a direct correlation between the success of your teams and the amount of money that you have capacity to raise. Also, in addition to that, the football team did not have a terrific season, did not go to a bowl game. And you factor that in with what happened on campus, people are upset with the university and the athletics department. The combination of the two is why I feel that donations are down, particularly in the month of December.”
There are undoubtedly going to be some donors that were turned off by the protests in November, but if the Tigers are able to put together a winning season, surely they will see yet another increase. That might be wishful thinking though with the program in serious transition. Pinkel had to step down as the most successful head coach in school history after being diagnosed with cancer. In January, starting quarterback Maty Mauk was dismissed from the program after a tumultuous on and off-field career.
An interesting point that the Tribune points out, is that Rhoades plans to start trying to get the school a new football facility, and seeing how the funds come in as a result. Surely the thought of a new facility to attract recruits and boost the program would bring some money in, but wins will probably bring more.
