The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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The first-ever night game at Michigan Stadium, U-M's 2011 matchup with Notre Dame, proved to be an electric atmosphere, and plenty of surprises are planned for this year's contest. photo by per kjeldsen Michigan's athletic machine on a number of those fronts. Budget Now, And Then In July 2000, Michigan's athletic department budget was approaching $50 million a year, an eye-opening sum at the time. People were talking about the "arms race" in college athletics and the battle for the best student-athletes via facilities, programs, etc. At the time, Mike Hilliard, Michigan's director of athletic develop- ment, gave a foreshadowing of the dramatic changes to come. He took nothing off the table of possibilities, including seat licensing, premium seating, advertising in the stadium, etc. "My biggest message to folks is that we want the longstanding supporters of the Michigan athletic program to be aware of how grateful and appreciative we are for the support they've provided us over the years," Hilliard said. "We want to thank them in advance