Gophers AD Mark Coyle tells U regents last year's tough sports cuts decision will not be revisited

Last September, the Gophers athletic department braced for a possible $75 million loss from the pandemic, contributing to tough decisions, most notably the cutting of three men's sports.

Almost exactly a year later, Gophers Athletic Director Mark Coyle gave his annual report Friday to the U's Board of Regents on the state of his program, pointing out losses from COVID-19 weren't as severe as first projected. Turns out, the department lost $21.5 million and plans to take out a university loan to pay it back.

When it comes to the sports cuts, though, nothing will change. The men's tennis, men's gymnastics and men's indoor track programs have been eliminated. Coyle has moved on, saying he is focused "on the future."

"We made some really heartbreaking decisions last year," Coyle told the Star Tribune after his presentation to the regents. "The board approved all of those recommendations and supported that decision."

About 30 members of the "Save Gophers Sports" group attended the board meeting. They weren't allowed to address the regents directly. They still wanted to let Coyle and U leadership know "we are not going away," former Gophers men's gymnastics coach Mike Burns said.

"Mark today said they have to borrow $21.5 million," Burns said. "That's a ton of money, but it's not $75 million. Why not put another $2 million on that and reinstate the sports? … It is the right thing to do. The opportunities that were lost, and excellence that was cut is noteworthy."

The U regents, President Joan Gabel and Coyle received a letter on Aug. 23 from Minnesota Sen. Melisa Franzen, signed by nine other members of the state legislature, asking about reconsidering the elimination of the three cut sports.

"We're trying to schedule a time to answer their questions," Coyle said of himself and Steve Sviggum, vice chair of the regents board.

Coyle and his staff announced that the Gophers budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year was a little more than $126 million, ranking in the lower half among 14 Big Ten programs.

One other figure stood out in Coyle's presentation. The total athletic debt after last season stands at $157.4 million, including facilities such as Athletes Village.

Revenue was down $45 million last year from projections before the pandemic, a result of having no fans and fewer events last season. But the Gophers were able to make a $30 million expenses reduction with coaches and athletic staff pay cuts, fewer competitions, operating expense freezes and other measures.

"Everybody in our department made sacrifices, and that's what makes our department so strong and so successful," Coyle said. "We made some hard, hard decisions to get that deficit down. Obviously, playing football games, having March Madness, had a significant impact on this, but we also had to make other cuts to get our way to that number."

The $21.5 million loan from the university won't begin to be paid off until the 2023 fiscal year.

Coyle brought to the regents his sports cuts recommendation last September, but he didn't address the issue Friday until U regent James Farnsworth relayed questions he received on if the decision could be overturned. Stanford, among other schools, reinstated some cut sports after further review.

"We went through an extensive process, and we exhausted all we could," Coyle told Farnsworth. "We had to make the difficult, difficult recommendation. I remember the conversation specifically with President Gabel. And it was a heartbreaking conversation when you have to make a decision to discontinue sports. Yes, some programs have been brought back across the country. Many have not."