IIRC the NDSU contract contained an out if either school jumped to FBS so I think it is void

There it is - contract with the Bison void going forward.

So looks like we have 3 pretty good match-ups in the next three years...this includes a Big 10 opponent for two of them, so, given that massive tv contract that Big 10 teams get - there should be a sizable payday coming to Davis for both games, right?

UCLA's current payroll is estimated at $24m, anywhere from $2-4m higher than SMU. To be expected for a Big10 program over an ACC program, especially with the TV money, but I would take SMU everyday over UCLA at this juncture on the field.

Wazzu didn't have an NIL valuation that I could find, but I didn't spend much time looking.

UCLA is a 70-10 game
By 2028 WSU is probably a 70-10 game

UCLA game might be nice for alums and recruiting (but not if we lose 70-10).

These games better PAY.

What's the bet on Caden still being at WSU in 2028?

Well, at this rate, that'd take a lot of faith and play blessed by Kirby Moore. FBS is cutthroat - you don't get 2 or 3 years to figure it out, you gotta find a way to win. FCS isn't much different.

According to Google’s AI, citing public record request by UCLA Wire:
“While the public records request details for the 2027 game's specific payout amount have not been explicitly published, public contract details for their upcoming two-game series show that UCLA will pay UC Davis a $575,000 guarantee for their second meeting in 2029”

Are taxes paid on these payouts?

Talking with a co-worker, Kent State gets $1.9 Million to come to Columbus on 9/19.

payouts to non P4 FBS are much higher than to FCS. That was something that Sac was pushing in their move up.

No. Athletics is considered close enough to universities core mission of education that income derived from it is not taxable.

Thanks. I'd always kind of wondered how that works.

WSU is on a downward trajectory

The game in Dallas was a greaty way to expose the south to UC Davis program. I would continue to push into the SEC for games. That league has a ton of money and would be open to beating a "California team". I would approach not schools but conferences for a multiyear contract playing multtiple teams for a set amount of time.

Example we set one game to be played against a team from the SEC. It could be Florida, Alabama, Tenn, etc. depending on the year, but we give that flexablity to the SEC for scheduling. Sign a $25M 10 year contract. We get a guranteed annual paycheck and the SEC gets their practice win. Do another agreement with the BIG10.

Now you have just boosted recruiting by have an annual game agaisnt the BIG and SEC as a west coast team.

It appears we are leaning towards Big 10 West Coast teams, UW last season, UCLA twice. Oregon soon? I know USC doesn't schedule FCS teams.

Cal and Stanford are ACC now.
SJSU is MW
San Diego State the new Pac 10
Boise the new Pac 10
Oregon State the new Pac 10

The downside of body bag games is not fully appreciated. They cement the fact that the loser is minor league. Losing by fifty points on TV doesn’t raise the image if a school to recruits, is not a good experience for fans and does not boost player morale. All publicity isn’t good publicity. Just because SEC teams have a lot of money doesn’t make them want to give it to Davis instead of a local FCS or HBU team, that may put some fans in the seats. If Davis plays any P4 schools it should be the ones in California which historically have paid more. Davis should target teams, preferably in the mountain west, where computer rankings suggest a competitive two score game. The ideal opponents are San Jose State and our oldest rival Nevada. Play games that have a chance of helping the team get a playoff spot, not just a game that supposedly doesn’t hurt that chance, but in fact does.

Donate more!!!

I appreciate your perspective. I’d only say, if your goal is to increase revenue by playing higher competition, wouldn’t it make sense to play where the money is? Unless you think SJSU or Reno is going to pay $1M.

Sure looks that way. I know admin is trying like crazy to get teams to play us. I’m really excited to watch the Aggies in the Rose Bowl and against Harvard later. I anticipate more games against bigger schools as Coach elevates the program.

Reno paid MSU basically the same as SMU paid us...

Who watched that game? If you want to build a championship program you have to get out of your comfort zone. All it takes is for the AD of an SEC school turn on the local sports network and see this game. Maybe that AD needs a game in the coming years? One phone call is made. $1M deal happens. That’s how it can work. The more eyeballs we get the better our chances of getting paid. It’s why the SEC knows Boise State but has probably never heard of Idaho State

If you are trying to prove that your team is similar in quality to a Mountain West team, wouldn’t it make sense to play lower tier FBS teams? Plough says there are two tiers in the new pay for play era, P4 conferences and all the rest. He maintains the Big Sky, certainly the better Big Sky teams are already comparable to Mountain West teams. Montana State and Idaho State advanced that argument this year; Davis did not have the opportunity to as they chose to play a team from that top tier. Fan demand for tickets decreases with games where that are over in the first half. I remember on the predecessor of this board an alum being enthusiastic about the 2010 Cal game, and he brought his friends and family to a game which was over before it started. He was so embarrassed he swore he would never attend another game. You may say he was just naive, but majority of fans are naive.

I understand your point of view. It’s valid. But we are answering two different questions.

I’m answering “How do we make more money for the program?” You go to where the money is and you find away to get some.

You are answering “Why should we play against superior teams if we get blown out?” To get paid.

How do you expect to battle teams with multi million dollar budgets when we struggle to even make $500k? Hell, someone talked about our team didn’t even have AC nits on the field. We need money. Playing SJSU. Reno, and Fresno State isn’t going to move the needle for eyeballs. That’s where the money is.

The delta in receipts between scheduling a hopeless game and a reasonable underdog game is apparently approximately $100,000. Rich teams don’t pay more because they’re rich, what determines a game’s value is whether the opponent offers value compared to cheaper alternatives. SEC isn’t going to pay Davis $1 million, when they could schedule a regional team like Mercer for less, and that team has fans in the region. As far as eyeballs, blowouts are detrimental to repeat viewership. It’s not only how much you make for the game, its what that game does for a reputation, and whether there is a desire to watch a similar game in the future.

Maybe recruiting considerations want to raise our profile in Texas?