WFNY Roundtable: 2016 Cleveland Indians predictions
April 4, 2016Former Ohio State QB Troy Smith arrested on OVI charge
April 4, 2016The 2015-16 college basketball season may be one that Ohio State and its fans would love to forget, but something was revealed on Friday that may be surprising to many. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Buckeyes, who are valued at $240.4 million, have the fifth-most valuable college basketball program in the country.
Yes, you read that right, the Buckeyes are ahead of powerhouses like North Carolina and Duke.
How were these values calculated, you ask? Per wjs.com:
“[Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus assistant finance professor Ryan] Brewer analyzed each program’s revenues and expenses and made cash-flow adjustments, risk assessments and growth projections to calculate what a college team would be worth on the open market, if it could be bought and sold like a professional franchise.”
While head coach Thad Matta’s job has been in question by some in Buckeye Nation, he has been backed by athletic director Gene Smith and has turned the Ohio State men’s basketball program into a top-25 college basketball program since he came to Columbus in 2004. While owning some of the top classes in the country since he came to Ohio State, Matta also has led his teams to five regular season Big Ten titles, five Sweet Sixteen appearances, and two Final Four bids, while his Buckeyes have a 320-108 record in his tenure.
There are three Big Ten teams in the top-10, compared to the ACC (four), Big 12 (one), SEC (one), and PAC 12 (one).
Although they remain on top, Louisville’s value fell from 367.4 million in 2014 to 301.3 million in 2015, an 18 percent drop. Arizona fell from second (315.0) in 2014 to sixth (235.4) in 2015, a 25.3 percent drop which is the largest drop in the top-10. North Carolina’s 39.8 percent increase (158.5 to 221.6) and Indiana’s 22.5 percent increase (199.0 to 243.8) were the two biggest gains in the top-10.
Where is Michigan, you ask? The Wolverines are No. 21, with their $82.1 million evaluation, placing them just three spots ahead of Dayton, who is at $80.6 million.