College Football - Why does Fresno play Alabama?

$1.4 million dollars is why Fresno scheduled Alabama in college football. It is why these smaller teams are happy to schedule games against these big powerhouse teams in college football

Jim Bartko the Fresno athletic director explains the economics of scheduling in this 2015 article from the Fresno Bee

“We need to net $1 million a year and this year we’re at zero,” Bartko said. “You go from $1.2 million last year to zero this year — and when I say zero that means what we’re getting paid to go to Ole Miss and BYU is the same amount we’re paying Abilene Christian and Utah to come here.

“We can’t have that. For our conference, we have to be around $1 million a year. If we can schedule the next 10 years out, where we know we’re getting a $1 million a year net, then you can budget much easier.”

Bartko has been working to fix that, starting in 2017 where there were open dates available. Fresno State in March signed the deal to play at Washington that will be worth $1 million to the Bulldogs. The game at Alabama will net the Bulldogs a $1.4 million guarantee.

With nonconference home games against Incarnate Word and Brigham Young in 2017, the take that season will be $2 million, which will help offset the lack of guarantee money the upcoming two seasons. Fresno State in 2014 received $1.2 million in guarantees. In 2013 guarantees netted $691,050. In 2012, it was $1.249 million. In 2011, it was $938,900.

The Bulldogs also have agreed in principle to a future home-and-home series with Minnesota and are working deals with several other Power Five conference programs.

All will boost athletic department revenues in an area where they are taking a hit this season and next.

Fresno State will open 2015 against Abeline Christian at Bulldog Stadium, then play the final game of a 2-for-1 series at Mississippi, the second in a home-and-home series with Utah and close out the nonconference schedule with a November game at BYU in the first game of a home-and-home series with the return game in 2017.

The Bulldogs are paying Abeline Christian $360,000 and Utah $300,000 and receiving $400,000 from Mississippi and $250,000 from BYU.

In 2016, the Bulldogs open at Nebraska to end a two-for-one deal, play home games against Sacramento State and Tulsa and their final nonconference game at Toledo as part of a home-and home series. The big money game is at Nebraska, worth $750,000.