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VT757to276 OP
Dec 10, 2025 at 11:29 AM ET
Utah to enter landmark private equity agreement raising $500 million
As someone who naively put value in scholarships and education, it just feels like there are no brakes to pushing further into Pro models. Just hope if one of these things blow-ups (i.e. debt, liabilities) that it doesn't sink the academic side.
Link: Utah PE

12 Replies

bigbadbird bigbadbird
7mo
aren't they ones that gave a Ram pickup to every player?
who paid the insurance for the 100 22 and under drivers- that's mad
E
EDGEMAN
7mo
Thought that was OSU?
reestuart reestuart
7mo
No, that was Utah. Pretty sure each truck had a wrap advertising
the dealership. I'm also pretty sure the players didn't get to keep them.
E
EDGEMAN
7mo
Pretty sure the same thing at Ohio State, but I thought I'd read it was...
...for their O-linemen. Same deal with the wrap advertising.
W
Warsaw Hokie
7mo
We need to get Blacksburg Subaru on board
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hokiedad25
7mo
So Utah will be broken up into real estate and education?
Then the real estate side will raise the rent on the land for the university causing them to go out of business? And it will be broken up into parts and sold off? Sounds about right.
Beerman Beerman
7mo
It won't sink the academic side. It will divorce from it.
Turk Malloy Turk Malloy
7mo
It will screw Utah in the end
PE firms expect a return on their investment. So in 5 to 7 years - they will want their money plus a return. Utah will need to issue debt. Doubt long term this is smart.
Gobbler Guru Gobbler Guru
7mo
Utah, the B1G, and any other colleges who get in bed with private equity.
PE is the payday lender of college athletics. Initially the schools that obtain PE funds think they are flush with cash. Eventually the bill comes due, and for all but the biggest athletic programs, that bill will be terminal.
Zanderhokie Zanderhokie
7mo
Yep. Many cautionary tales of sports teams getting involved with PE
with very detrimental results. This includes some European football (soccer) clubs who really paid a steep price when the deal with American private equity investor groups went south. Ask me how I know ;-)
fsghokie fsghokie
7mo
My thoughts exactly
reestuart reestuart
7mo
I don't pretend to know how the PE folks plan to get their ROI, but this
isn't a payday loan. This is buying a share of the conference (Big Ten) or Utah athletics revenues. They don't have real control over decision making, but at the same time, what happens if revenues decline in Utah's case? I've yet to see how the ROI works for these deals. Interesting to watch, for sure.