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The University of Mississippi Athletics
INSIDER: Balancing a Winning Schedule
8/30/2007 | Football
By Ben Garrett
OleMissSports.com Insider
Success in any sport takes large amounts of strategy in various areas. A key component in strategic planning that is often overlooked is the scheduling aspect.
Schedules that encourage success as well as promote the school are keys in determining what programs should be contacted for possible competition. The first fundamental step is formulating a successful scheduling philosophy, particularly in football.
“Two years ago, the NCAA went to a permanent 12th game,” said John Hartwell, Senior Associate Athletics Director. “Our philosophy is that we want to play seven home games and five away games each year.
“We only have one non-conference away game per year. Out of the four non-conference home games that you have, ideally you would like to have one or two name games and a mixture of the other two with a lower-level Division 1 team and a 1-AA team. You can have one 1-AA team to count towards being bowl eligible.”
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“In terms of marquee teams, you are really talking about other BCS programs,” said Hartwell. “Whether it is a Big-12, Pac-10 or ACC school, we have sought out those teams that will bring the most exposure to the university. We are set to play Georgia Tech in 2010 and 2011 and currently we have
“However, you walk a fine line between teams with name recognition with the fans and games you will have an opportunity to win.”
A new variable that has arisen in the scheduling process is neutral-site games, which pit teams from different conferences against one another in an independent location. Much of the involvement of universities has arisen from Bowl representatives interested in bringing these conferences together.
“A lot of Bowl groups, including the Chick-fil-A Bowl, are trying to schedule one or two regular season games in their facilities,” Hartwell said. “We have had conversations with these executives about possibly getting involved in these games for the future. We are open to potentially doing a neutral-site game if it is the right opponent and is within our schedule.”
Another challenge is identifying 1-AA teams and their availability within a given schedule. With the demand on these teams high, placing a bid for their services is often demanding. Ole Miss generates a smaller amount of revenue compared to larger collegiate institutions due to stadium capacity, making the task even more daunting.
“The challenge that is out there for us comes from the size of our stadium,” said Hartwell. “At best, we are going to put 62,000 people in our seats. At $40-45 per ticket, that is a total revenue around $2.4 million. Whereas a team with a stadium capacity of over 100,000 at $40 per ticket generates $4.5 million in total revenue.
“Every university is very budget conscious. These teams are holding out for the highest bidder. It is not unheard of for those people to get $800,000 per game to play. Financially, we can’t make those numbers work.”
However, the administration has made significant strides in accounting for this disadvantage. “In the upcoming games we are announcing, the highest we are going is near the half-million dollar mark,” Hartwell added. “That number is still very significant.”
After the map of possible competing schools has been laid out, decisions of which schools would best complement television and provide promotional opportunities is taken under consideration. Finding those matchups that will bring the most exposure to the university is often the determining factor.
Over the last five seasons, 38 of the Rebels’ 60 games have been televised, which heavily promotes the university while spotlighting Ole Miss athletics for potential student-athletes.
“Promotional opportunities are always taken into account when scheduling opponents,” said Hartwell. “Whenever there is a chance to get national or regional coverage, we welcome those opportunities.”
Once opposing teams are resolved and promotional opportunities are accumulated, the process of fitting each school into the 12-week football schedule begins. Finding a negotiable date which benefits each school’s athletics calendar is often meticulous and demanding.
However, the SEC slate is first and foremost, and maintaining a winning record in the nation’s toughest conference is goal No. 1.
“You are looking for a mix between one or two attractive non-conference opponents and a couple that you are pretty sure you are going to win,” Hartwell explained. “More so in our league than any other league, because in the eight locked SEC games, you know you are going to be in eight wars.”
Head Coach Ed Orgeron also takes part in the scheduling process in the selection of possible competitors and the availability of major matchups.
“Pete Boone and I confer with Ed (Orgeron) a lot when it comes to scheduling,” Hartwell clarified. “I talk to Ed on a regular basis regarding potential opponents; who he wants to play and who he doesn’t want to play. Coach Orgeron plays a significant role in the scheduling process.”
Hartwell concluded that future scheduling for Ole Miss looks promising, with many exciting opportunities for the Rebels available.
”We have just finished our schedule for 2008 and our goal is to finish through 2011 by January,” he said. “We are excited about what the future holds for Rebel football and look forward to some exciting competition.”
