This article is one of several based on an exclusive conversation between Bubba Cunningham and 97.9 The Hill’s Art Chanksy about the UNC Athletic Department’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The audio from the full conversation can be found at the bottom of this story.

College athletics took a big revenue hit this spring with the coronavirus pandemic, led by the cancellation of the March Madness men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

Shortly after the pandemic spread to the United States, spring collegiate athletic shut down. A decision about fall sports is still forthcoming, but for now college campuses across the country remain closed.

How has this affected the revenue for universities like UNC, who rely heavily on popular college sports?

UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham spoke with 97.9 The Hill about how the university is dealing with this unprecedented situation.

“On the revenue side,” Cunningham said, “tickets, television and philanthropy are three major sources of revenue.

“If we don’t play or if we play in small venues, tickets are going to take a major hit. If we don’t play at all, obviously television goes away and then we count on philanthropy.”

With the economy and stock market in a state of panic due to the coronavirus pandemic, Cunningham said philanthropy donations to the university are liable to take a hit as well.

Like many universities across the nation, the top expense for UNC is salaries. Cunningham said that the university spends an excess of $35 million on salaries and that’s where he’d look first to save money. Additionally, scholarships cost the university around $20 million.

“The number one thing is to try to take care of people and that is both salaries and scholarships,” Cunningham said, “so there may have to be some kind of a reduction there. I don’t forecast that right now because I’m still hopeful that we do play in the fall. I’m hopeful that we can sell tickets and we can be televised, but I am looking at those as my number one options.”

Regardless of how college sports return in the fall, Cunningham said he sees the coronavirus pandemic changing the landscape of sports.

“This will have an impact on crowds,” he said. ‘”This will have an impact on sport. I do think it gives us a chance to really evaluate our priorities.”

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Listen to the complete interview with UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham:

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