They're arguably the hottest team in football.  They have the coolest uniforms and Nike behind them.  So why are the people of Eugene, Oregon upset with their mighty Ducks?   It's not the Blurr Offense or the Ducks stingy Defense that has some folks wondering about the money being spent on Oregon Football.  USA Today recently reported that the Ducks were the wealthiest program in college football.  This disclosure and the rapid expansion of the on campus facilities have caused some question the program's budget.

Former Oregon Business School Dean expressed his concerns to a Eugene audience, according to the Register Guard.  "“Our administration needs to take more responsibility to fully exploit the opportunity that our athletic department provides — on behalf of our students, our faculty and our institution."

The big issue is that Oregon spends exactly what it makes in revenue.  The Ducks make 98 million dollars per year and spend 98 million dollars per year.  The meeting took place before the city club of Eugene.  Some folks in the audience expressed an interest in privatizing football or trying to direct more money to academics from athletics.

Howard responded “They have $98 million in revenue and, strangely, exactly $98 million in expenses,” he said. “If you look back year after year, you will find that revenue and expenses match up almost to a penny. ... When they get extra TV revenue, they do what they just did in February. They go to the president and the Board of Trustees and the coaches and the athletic director get raises, so expenses go up.”

Despite the frustration from some, Oregon is doing exactly what it needs to do build a major college football powerhouse.  The university does benefit greatly from the huge marketing opportunities that are generated from the football program's on field successes.  That's something that both sides can agree on!