In a radio interview this week, Syracuse Athletic Director John Wildhack shared a few notes about revenue sharing and future games.
The Orange AD indicated to WGR’s Sal Capaccio that Syracuse was only using one-year deals for revenue sharing.
“We have purposely done just one-year deals because I’m not sure multi-year deals are enforceable,” Wildhack said. “If they’re not enforceable then they’re not worth the weight of the paper they’re written on. What you have right now is it’s on a semester-by-semester
basis, candidly.”
It makes sense not to waste effort negotiating long-term in the current landscape. With so much turmoil, there isn’t a valid reason now to do so, but it also highlights that schools like Syracuse should lead a push for long-term deals. Fans saw what happened with Trebor Pena and Maraad Watson and don’t want the Orange to become a launching pad for B10/SEC programs.
Wildhack also hinted that Syracuse would be interested in playing in the new Highmark Stadium after it opens next year. It’s an idea that I’ve suggested because with the NY taxpayers footing the bill for the Bills, it makes sense to do more events there.
This doesn’t necessarily mean a game against Buffalo, but if the Orange want to add another B10 game, then getting a corporate sponsor and playing someone in Buffalo on Labor Day weekend could be an option. We know that Syracuse tries to avoid home games with the New York State Fair, but getting NY fans a game against a P4 program that’s a short drive away might work.
The appeal for B10 schools could be to sell their fans on a trip to the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area and if the B10 doesn’t want to do it, I bet Wyoming would love to come to their adopted city of Buffalo and play a game.
