Uconn athletics deficit doesn’t tell whole story

There have been stories in the Courant and letters to the editor recently about the deficit in the Uconn Department of Athletics, reported to be on the order of $53 million. Let me offer an alternative view. Of course, we would all like a better financial result, and I am sure that Athletic Director Dave Benedict and President Radenka Maric are dedicated to delivering on that very goal. But have those expressing criticism given serious consideration to the economic benefits to our state brought about by the rise in prominence and success of Uconn’s athletic programs in the last few decades? I’m not even counting the psychological benefits of pride, enjoyment, enthusiasm and favorable reputation.

Connecticut has seen recently the departure of GE, UTC’S corporate offices, Lego, and others. And at the same time Uconn is a magnet for people and money. It is exactly what we need. Students who become taxpayers and donors, parents, visitors, research grants, business formations — all these benefits being over and above the athletics revenues computed in the deficit. I don’t know what the aggregate value of those benefits is, but it is way more than $53 million.

I am not contending that athletics is the only magnet at Uconn. There are lots of great things going on at the U. But I’ve been watching Uconn closely for over 50 years, and don’t kid yourself, the main explanation of the university’s remarkable growth and transformation began with what Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma began to build in the 1980s, with the support of John Toner, Dee Rowe, some key members of the legislature, donors, and so many others too numerous to mention. And that excellence continued with football in the early 2000s (which is now alive again) and more recently with baseball, softball, hockey, soccer, field hockey and track & field. And pardon my bluntness, but the physical plant at the place has been transformed from a dump to an impressive gem of which we can all be proud. Have you been to Storrs recently, or Stamford, or Hartford, and the other campuses?

Are the critics of Uconn Athletics aware that the annual budget for our state government is about $23 billion? The deficit of $53 million is 2⁄10 of one percent of that budget. Might the critics focus instead on, oh say, corruption? If this is a crisis, then we better close Hammonasset Beach and shut down I-395 and the Hartford Line rail service. They’re not making money either.