Concerning guarantee games:
Each year, coach Marlin is given a figure he's asked to bring in. Usually two guarantee games will cover it. Coach Marlin has the option to bring in a bigger number if there's something special he wants to do. For instance, the trip to Spain a couple of years ago.
The figure he is given that must be brought in goes into the general fund for athletics. Now, to be fair, that is true of football as well. But since the vast percentage of your athletic budget goes to football, it stands to reason most of the guarantee money goes to football as well.
To answer another question, while you say our fans understand how nearly impossible it is to get an at large berth, some people on this board still bring that up...which was why I did.
As far as the NIT is concerned, you get an auto berth by winning your regular season in conference. You can go oh-fer in non conference and still get an NIT bid if you win your league.
The at-large bid for the NIT is pretty few and far between for mid-majors. If my memory serves me right, there were three given out last year. The bulk of the NIT goes to high major and nearly high major (Atlantic 10, Missouri VAlley, WCC, etc.) teams and auto qualifiers.
It's very difficult to get into the NIT as a mid major at large nowadays. Since the NCAA took it over, it's been an extension of the NCAA tournament. If you are a mid major from the Sun Belt, you probably need 24+ wins.
Ive said more than once the closest thing to the NIT that we remember is the CIT....primarily for mid majors....and I remember when the majority of NIT teams fit in that category. No more.