When college teams travel, how do they handle meals? Do they eat in the dinning halls of the schools they are playing at or do they eat in restaurants?
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D-1's eat in restaurants. The coaches give each player money for their meals.
As 123KMOM said, at the D-1's, the players get daily meal money. Sometimes, depending on where the team is staying in relationship to eating establishments and ground transportation, the players may eat together. Typically, what we saw were groups of players eating together at various restaurants, depending on their personal food choices, etc.
When UCR went to Oklahoma last spring, the Oklahoma program picked up the expenses for ground transportation for the team as well as most meals. Some players chose not to eat with the team for some of their meals ... for instance, if parents were at the series, their sons usually ate dinner with their folks.
It is an interesting situation and sometimes the players can get pretty creative. I can tell you that most college players we know can tell you exactly where the local Denny's Diner is in the cities they visit ... just as the minor league players can. Seem to be a lot of hotels right next to a Denny's ...
When UCR went to Oklahoma last spring, the Oklahoma program picked up the expenses for ground transportation for the team as well as most meals. Some players chose not to eat with the team for some of their meals ... for instance, if parents were at the series, their sons usually ate dinner with their folks.
It is an interesting situation and sometimes the players can get pretty creative. I can tell you that most college players we know can tell you exactly where the local Denny's Diner is in the cities they visit ... just as the minor league players can. Seem to be a lot of hotels right next to a Denny's ...
I can tell you that my son, while at New mexico State, when on the road ate at restauarants I will never get to in my life
Playing Dividsion I means getting treated very well-- no flea bag hotels, no long bus rides and no eating at "greasy spoons"
From what I have seen conditions for them are better than for rookie minor league pro players
Playing Dividsion I means getting treated very well-- no flea bag hotels, no long bus rides and no eating at "greasy spoons"
From what I have seen conditions for them are better than for rookie minor league pro players
rjb1211, My son goes to UCLA, and they are spoiled. 
They fly everywhere, stay at the Marriott, unless they can find a nicer hotel, and then they will stay there. They get $40 per day meal money, and eat the free continental breakfast too. They play in a 3 day tournament at Fullerton, which is maybe 40 miles away, and they stay at the Marriott, so they don't have to fight the traffic. It is really a tough life at a major D1.
They fly everywhere, stay at the Marriott, unless they can find a nicer hotel, and then they will stay there. They get $40 per day meal money, and eat the free continental breakfast too. They play in a 3 day tournament at Fullerton, which is maybe 40 miles away, and they stay at the Marriott, so they don't have to fight the traffic. It is really a tough life at a major D1.
Doug
Its a great life they have isnt it---
Its a great life they have isnt it---
TR, My first year in the minor leagues, we got $3.50 per day in the Rookie league. No wonder I am skinny. If I had a 3.50 gpa instead of a 2.00 I might have gained a few pounds.
If I had a 3.50 gpa instead of a 2.00 I might have gained a few pounds.
I can only speak for one D-1 but it is inline with the others. Home series have meals catered after the game. These meals are usually pizza or a box lunch of some type. . . chicken strips etc. Each player is given a menu to select from and fill out prior to the game. After the game, their pizza or box lunch to order is waiting and is passed out. Away series are different. The players get $120.00 cash in meal money. Most hotels are nice and have good restaurants on site but if they don't, or their hours don't match that of the team, and depending on the proximity of other restaurants, the team bus will make a restaurant run. It is left up to the player if he wants to go. What usually happens at away series is the player will eat with his parents and he saves his meal money. They always have a teammate tag along for the free meal! The only thing I can figure out is they must get academic credit in financial management if they come home with most of their meal money.
How would the bus be there to take team to a restaurant if the team flies? Let’s say the team is playing 800 miles away. They actually use 2 buses. The players will take their equipment and luggage to the baseball complex, put it on the bus #1, and the bus leaves a day or two early for the away site. On the players’ travel day, bus #2 takes the players with just carry on luggage to the local airport for their departure. When the players arrive at their destination airport, bus #1 will be there with all their luggage and equipment and take them to their hotel. I got to know Larry the baseball bus driver pretty well. He has been their driver for 14 years and is almost a member of the team. I’m starting to understand why it takes a “staff” of many people to run a college baseball team.
Fungo
How would the bus be there to take team to a restaurant if the team flies? Let’s say the team is playing 800 miles away. They actually use 2 buses. The players will take their equipment and luggage to the baseball complex, put it on the bus #1, and the bus leaves a day or two early for the away site. On the players’ travel day, bus #2 takes the players with just carry on luggage to the local airport for their departure. When the players arrive at their destination airport, bus #1 will be there with all their luggage and equipment and take them to their hotel. I got to know Larry the baseball bus driver pretty well. He has been their driver for 14 years and is almost a member of the team. I’m starting to understand why it takes a “staff” of many people to run a college baseball team.
Fungo
bbscout,
$3.50 would by a lot back in those days!!
$3.50 would by a lot back in those days!!
Hmm-m-m, I'm guessing D3 is a little different from the above. 
Anyone know what's typical for D3?
Anyone know what's typical for D3?
Fungo, When you mentioned the bus driver, a smile came accross my face. The bus trips were a gas. We had no AC back then and it would be 95 degrees outside and about a 100 on the bus. The best part was that about 20 guys smoked and the bus was a hot cloud of smoke for our trips. How about Amarillo to Memphis and then play a doubleheader after about two packs of smokes and sleeping all night on the bus. It brings back great memories.
It brings back great memories.
Does the meal money apply to non-scholarship players?
rjb1211,
All get the same meal money. All players are treated equally and most don't know anything about the other players' scholarships. However, only a pre-set number of players are allowed to make the road series so those that stay home don't get the meal money.
Fungo
All get the same meal money. All players are treated equally and most don't know anything about the other players' scholarships. However, only a pre-set number of players are allowed to make the road series so those that stay home don't get the meal money.
Fungo
Fungo,
I was wondering how they got all of that equipment on the plane!!!!!
Because of CU's geographical location within the ACC, most trips are by bus.
I also understand when school ends and still playing their meals and dorms are paid for, regardless of scholarship.
I was wondering how they got all of that equipment on the plane!!!!!
Because of CU's geographical location within the ACC, most trips are by bus.
I also understand when school ends and still playing their meals and dorms are paid for, regardless of scholarship.
quote:
I also understand when school ends and still playing their meals and dorms are paid for, regardless of scholarship.
...hadn't thought about that possibility, TPM..........
and, can you imagine trying to get those equipment bags past the metal detectors?..................
Fungo and bbscout ...
You are definitely describing the road life of programs at MAJOR D-1 schools. I can attest to the fact that other D-1 programs, especially those with athletic budgets smaller than anyone else in their conference, do NOT stay at a Marriott, do NOT have meals catered after games at home, travel back and forth for geographically close "away" games so as to avoid added travel costs and per diem meal money (no matter what the traffic is like), have a total of TWO buses for the whole athletic department and have to use charter service buses at other times.
Ahhhh ... must be great for the programs that have the financial backing, but for some teams, life on the road isn't much better than those minor league travels bbscout mentions ... except for the smoking, of course ... or the summer league travel across the Alaska League
You are definitely describing the road life of programs at MAJOR D-1 schools. I can attest to the fact that other D-1 programs, especially those with athletic budgets smaller than anyone else in their conference, do NOT stay at a Marriott, do NOT have meals catered after games at home, travel back and forth for geographically close "away" games so as to avoid added travel costs and per diem meal money (no matter what the traffic is like), have a total of TWO buses for the whole athletic department and have to use charter service buses at other times.
Ahhhh ... must be great for the programs that have the financial backing, but for some teams, life on the road isn't much better than those minor league travels bbscout mentions ... except for the smoking, of course ... or the summer league travel across the Alaska League
quote:
I can tell you that most college players we know can tell you exactly where the local Denny's Diner is in the cities they visit ... just as the minor league players can. Seem to be a lot of hotels right next to a Denny's ...
I have been told that the literal translation of La Quinta is "behind Denny's".
FO,
Cleats and metal bats just wouldn't cut it!
Cleats and metal bats just wouldn't cut it!
Tech finishes up the beginning of May, they then live in a Marriott near campus w/meal allowance for maybe 5/6 weeks
BBM,
I maybe wrong, but I understand that funds come from money raised by their atheletic and alumni departments, not necessarily the conference they are in. An example is that at UF, they have about 75million dollars a year to spend on atheletics. They provide all meals to students during season and have their own airplane.
I maybe wrong, but I understand that funds come from money raised by their atheletic and alumni departments, not necessarily the conference they are in. An example is that at UF, they have about 75million dollars a year to spend on atheletics. They provide all meals to students during season and have their own airplane.
Barb ...
I didn't mean to imply that the conference had anything to do with our funding. None of the schools in the Big West fields a football program, and as a result, we do not have the revenue it takes to spend the kind of money that Fungo, bbscout, or you have indicated are spent for travel.
It has been clearly documented that UC Riverside has the smallest athletic budget of all the schools in the Big West. (Other than the University of the Pacific, all of the Big West schools are state colleges or universities.) Our college budgets ... and as a direct result, the athletic budgets ... have been impacted significantly by the financial problems the state has had the past couple of years.
Our Big West schools just don't have the luxuries afforded to schools with big football and basketball programs. And there is only so much fund raising the athletic department and alumni can do to override what is sometimes deficit spending for some of the Big West programs.
And so schools like UC Riverside serve their players PB&J sandwiches ... sometimes ... before a game.
I didn't mean to imply that the conference had anything to do with our funding. None of the schools in the Big West fields a football program, and as a result, we do not have the revenue it takes to spend the kind of money that Fungo, bbscout, or you have indicated are spent for travel.
It has been clearly documented that UC Riverside has the smallest athletic budget of all the schools in the Big West. (Other than the University of the Pacific, all of the Big West schools are state colleges or universities.) Our college budgets ... and as a direct result, the athletic budgets ... have been impacted significantly by the financial problems the state has had the past couple of years.
Our Big West schools just don't have the luxuries afforded to schools with big football and basketball programs. And there is only so much fund raising the athletic department and alumni can do to override what is sometimes deficit spending for some of the Big West programs.
And so schools like UC Riverside serve their players PB&J sandwiches ... sometimes ... before a game.
BBM,
No problem I understood what you were saying. I only know that UF told us they pay for all (not just meals before or after game)meals during season, but CU does not do that, as I found out later due to athletic budgets. UF has 40K+ a year for enrollment and I guess over a long period of time that adds up to large contributions made to athletics and by alumni.
I was not sure what the NCAA allotment is for meals (I was assuming it was the same) so I am assuming that a large part of the funding for these expenses come from other sources.
When looking into UM, a school where their alumni are not regular supporters due to large international enrollment (and not a state school), their athletic budget was very small compared to others Dave was considering attending. Of course, maybe for this reason, they had to finally breakdown and join a conference, where TV coverage alone will bring them in millions of dollars.
So I am not sure what makes a school better funded, the conferences or other support.
And yes, having a football team surely helps. I understand because CU won their bowl championship they got some big bucks, but of course lots of it went back into the football program.
I am not sure of the exact facts, just my perception while going through the recruiting process.
By the way, my son eats very well, but still refers back to the PP (without jelly) sandwiches every night!
No problem I understood what you were saying. I only know that UF told us they pay for all (not just meals before or after game)meals during season, but CU does not do that, as I found out later due to athletic budgets. UF has 40K+ a year for enrollment and I guess over a long period of time that adds up to large contributions made to athletics and by alumni.
I was not sure what the NCAA allotment is for meals (I was assuming it was the same) so I am assuming that a large part of the funding for these expenses come from other sources.
When looking into UM, a school where their alumni are not regular supporters due to large international enrollment (and not a state school), their athletic budget was very small compared to others Dave was considering attending. Of course, maybe for this reason, they had to finally breakdown and join a conference, where TV coverage alone will bring them in millions of dollars.
So I am not sure what makes a school better funded, the conferences or other support.
And yes, having a football team surely helps. I understand because CU won their bowl championship they got some big bucks, but of course lots of it went back into the football program.
I am not sure of the exact facts, just my perception while going through the recruiting process.
By the way, my son eats very well, but still refers back to the PP (without jelly) sandwiches every night!
TPM a k a B ...
Brings a whole new meaning to the idea of a "level playing field" when we consider the added financial benefits an entire athletic department enjoys because there is big $$ in football and basketball. Perhaps a bit like establishing a start date for practices and seasons for baseball to accomodate weather impacted schools in the northeast, maybe we should establish a financial "playing field", where the baseball programs must adhere to regulated financial expenditures, to accomodate the financially impacted schools across the country ... that way, some teams aren't "better off" because their players eat and travel better ...
Oh well ... that is another discussion ...
P S Just trying to interject a little levity here folks ... not wanting to start a debate.
Brings a whole new meaning to the idea of a "level playing field" when we consider the added financial benefits an entire athletic department enjoys because there is big $$ in football and basketball. Perhaps a bit like establishing a start date for practices and seasons for baseball to accomodate weather impacted schools in the northeast, maybe we should establish a financial "playing field", where the baseball programs must adhere to regulated financial expenditures, to accomodate the financially impacted schools across the country ... that way, some teams aren't "better off" because their players eat and travel better ...
Oh well ... that is another discussion ...
P S Just trying to interject a little levity here folks ... not wanting to start a debate.
BBM,
Yeah I know, same reason we see the same teams in MLB compete every year.
Funny how sports at EVERY level boils down to the same thing...MONEY!
Yeah I know, same reason we see the same teams in MLB compete every year.
Funny how sports at EVERY level boils down to the same thing...MONEY!
My son attends one of the smaller D1 programs...school does not have football but does have a large hockey and basketball program...they travel by bus EVERYWHERE...and this includes going from NY to TN, KY, WVA etc...no luxury hotels..we are talking Days Inn, Super 8, Motel 6(where leave the light on) and the local Mom and Pop establishments...they eat at any place that has a buffet as that seems to meet everyones needs...life on the road has not been easy ...one thing my son has learned is to sit in the seat right behind the coaches, since no one wants to be there, he gets 2 seats to himself and can stretch out...meals and etc continued post season while they were in the playoffs...it all comes down to $$$$