Behind Enemy Lines: Inside UCLA's financial woes and what's next

We continue our USC Behind Enemy Lines series with UCLA Wire and its editor, Dylan McNeill. In this article, we ask about UCLA football ticket sales and UCLA athletic department revenue. These are two huge concerns - and shortfalls - for the Bruins after their move to the Big Ten. "The profitability of UCLA athletics in the Big Ten Conference will always be in question due to the amount of travel they have to do," McNeill told us. "The Big Ten cuts UCLA a jumbo check every year but the best way for the Bruins to combat any financial concerns is with a strong football program. UCLA has invested heavily into that football program, hiring Bob Chesney to turn around the fortunes of the program. The school has followed Indiana’s blueprint to building a college football program and if the results follow, or even come close, then a profitable football program will ease any and all financial concerns." The Indiana comparison is obvious and undeniable. Indiana now prints money on football after being a total nobody and an absolute nothingburger in the sport for decades. If Bob Chesney even comes remotely close to the Curt Cignetti standard, UCLA will be in great shape. The real question, though, is if Chesney makes UCLA a solid and respectable program - 8-4 or 9-3 - but never makes big bowl or playoff games. Would that be enough to truly turn around the financials in Westwood? We will have to wait and see. Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion. This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Behind Enemy Lines: Inside UCLA's financial woes and what's next