Report Shows That Akron Is $585,000 Over Budget Since the Hiring of Faust

The University of Akron athletic department is already $585,000 over budget this school year because of overspending on the football program and lower than expected game attendance, school officials said.

The overspending is attributed partly to the university’s efforts to move to a higher division of competition since Gerry Faust, former Notre Dame coach, was hired a year ago.

The university’s six-month financial report showed the athletic department spent $585,306 more than the $1.2 million budgeted for July 1 to Dec. 31, 1986.

Wayne Duff, Akron’s vice president of business and finance, blamed the deficit to overspending in football, noting that the university has spent more because of its pending move from National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division I-AA to Division I-A.

Athletic Director Dave Adams said average attendance at Zips’ football games declined from more than 18,000 people per game in 1985 to about 16,000 per game in 1986. But more season tickets were sold last season, he said. “We were hoping that we could get an average of 25,000 people this (1986) season,” Adams said.

Since Akron hired Faust in December 1985, at an annual salary of $70,000, the budget for athletics, including salaries and expenses in basketball and other sports, has been increased more than $1 million, according to the report.