Financial 'jackpot' unlikely for cash-strapped St. Peter's Peacocks despite generating NCAA tournament revenue

PHILADELPHIA — One of the most endearing facets of St. Peter's NCAA tournament run is the proportional size of the school's athletic budget compared to the schools that it has slayed in the NCAA tournament.

St. Peter's has beaten No. 2 Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue, which is remarkable considering St. Peter's spent $130 million less on athletics last year than Kentucky. St. Peter's athletic director Rachelle Paul said the school's basketball operating budget, which does not include coaching salaries, is less than $250,000 and the lowest number, by far, in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

As No. 15 St. Peter's plays No. 8 North Carolina for a chance at the Final Four on Sunday, a vexing question will loom for the MAAC and St. Peter's going forward. How do they split up the spoils from St. Peter's magical run?

NCAA tournament money math is wonky, but it's safe to estimate that St. Peter's three wins in the NCAA tournament will mean a windfall of at least $6 million in additional money from the three extra NCAA units. That money is distributed to the MAAC over the next six years, and the league has autonomy as to how to distribute the money.

«I would like to see however it's distributed among the members of the MAAC, I'd like to see St. Peter's get a little bit more,» Paul said. «We're the ones doing this, quite frankly.»

Paul added that St. Peter's accomplishment and accompanying financial uptick are «unprecedented.» MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor, who is a St. Peter's graduate, acknowledges this but said there's unlikely to be a windfall headed St. Peter's way.

Ensor said the ultimate decision on how to fairly compensate St. Peter's is something that he'd have to «take up with my board,» which is made