CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mike Hill finds himself putting contingencies on top of contingencies this football season. The Charlotte 49ers athletic director — UNC Charlotte goes by simply Charlotte for sports — has lost half his home games due to the ripple effects of Covid-19 and had to scrap season tickets this year.
That’s $1 million in revenue gone.
Attendance, at most, will be 7% for at least part of the season due to restrictions placed on sports and entertainment venues by Gov. Roy Cooper to help reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Yet another challenge to keep the department going: frequent testing of players and coaches to keep them and their opponents safe. Over the course of the fall and spring semesters, the athletic department estimates Covid tests will cost the school $3 million. UNCC is likely to receive federal funding to cover some of the expense, but not all of it.
The current budget crunch affecting all college athletics programs has, comparatively speaking, hurt UNCC less than its peers. there have no staff cuts so far — but there are no guarantees.
“It’s important to be as transparent as possible, without creating fear,” Hill told CBJ. “It’s helpful when people understand what reality is. We don’t sugarcoat the truth when we talk to our people because we want them to understand when we have to make decisions related to the budget, for example.”
In a recent interview, Hill talked about the big questions hanging over college sports right now, scheduling challenges, financial struggles and more. Read the full story here.
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