What College Makes The Most Money From Sports
Ranking college sports' highest revenue producers
College sports has entered unprecedented financial waters stricken with revenue worry ahead of the 2020 fall season as important decisions over the coming weeks will have a long-lasting impact on athletic departments in the coming years. But as the arms race continues to grow exponentially in "normal" years, the recent nationwide fiscal report emanating from college athletics shows football is big business and Power 5 conferences are producing at exorbitant values.
Just a look at USA TODAY's list of revenue and expenses for athletic departments — one recently updated for the 2018-19 fiscal year — shows that staggering records revealed on a year-by-year basis just aren't so staggering any more. As 247Sports national analyst Kevin Flaherty notes, a decade ago, Texas led all athletic departments by bringing in slightly more than $120 million. That would rank the Longhorns 28th in 2017-18. Then-conference rival Texas A&M brought in shy of $75 million, while the 2017-18 Aggies, playing in the SEC, had revenues more than 2.8 times that.
Two seasons ago marked the first time a school had more than $200 million in operating revenues and expenses in the same fiscal year. During the past fiscal year, two schools hit the feat, while three schools crossed $210 million in revenue. Incredibly, 40 schools brought in more than $100 million.
So which athletic departments are building the biggest revenue arsenal? Here's a look at USA Today's updated list that details the 2018-19 fiscal year for athletic departments across the country:
20. Arkansas — $137 million
Despite struggles on the gridiron for several years, financially, things could be worse for the Razorbacks. Arkansas only had $129 million in expenses during the 2018-19 fiscal year, the lowest total inside the Top 20 nationally.
19. Louisville — $139 million
Scott Satterfield's early success with the Cardinals means revenue will only improve from here for a possible contender in the ACC Atlantic.
18. Michigan State — $140 million
17. South Carolina — $140.6 million
The Gamecocks have been up and down under Will Muschamp, but there remains significant fan interest and revenue hasn't been an issue. South Carolina is one of 10 SEC schools inside the Top 20.
16. Tennessee — $143 million
15. Kentucky — $150 million
Basketball still owns in the Bluegrass, but Mark Stoops has done a masterful job with Kentucky's football program during his tenure. The Wildcats had a plus-$6 million difference in revenue vs. spending over the past fiscal year.
14. Iowa — $151 million
13. Auburn — $152.5 million
12. Florida State — $152.7 million
The Seminoles eliminated up to 25 positions within the athletic department earlier this month in a cost-cutting measure expected to affect nearly all major programs this fall in light of the pandemic. Budgets are being trimmed across college football up to 20 percent.
11. Wisconsin — $157.6 million
The Badgers missed out on the Top 10 by a mere $100,000.
10. LSU — $157.7 million
It might not be accurate to call Florida cheap, but the Gators did have the smallest total expenses during the 2018-19 fiscal year of any team inside the Top 10 ($141.8 million). In terms of revenue, Florida squeezed into the Top 10 ahead of LSU and Wisconsin by $2 million. Imagine what a trip to the College Football Playoff would do this fall for an athletics department that appears to be on solid footing financially?
With three consecutive 12-win seasons and trips to the Playoff, the Sooners are nearing breakthrough at football's highest level — and it's paying off, too. 247Sports national analyst Kevin Flaherty writres, "Oklahoma has long played second fiddle to Texas in revenues within the Big 12, and while the Sooners typically come in well behind the Longhorns in money, Oklahoma has made its money count. Oklahoma boasts sparkling facilities, a terrific athletic dorm in Headington Hall and, well, the results on the field to back those up."
Like everyone else, we expected the Crimson Tide to be higher on the list. Alabama is one of only two schools inside the Top 10 that spent more than it generated over the 2018-19 fiscal year. Alabama has won five national titles under Nick Saban and played for multiple others. The Crimson Tide spent more than $185 million, the most in the SEC and fourth-highest total nationally. Will it take another championship to push Alabama back inside the Top 5 on this list?
The Nittany Lions made a major leap into the Top 10 over the last fiscal year with $164 million in revenue, third-highest in the Big Ten behind Ohio State and Michigan. Penn State has posted three 11-win seasons over the past four years and is considered to be a national title contender heading into the 2020 campaign. Basketball is on the upswing in Happy Valley as well.
Georgia spent more money on recruiting than any program nationally during the 2018 fiscal year and still, there was nearly a $30 million difference in total revenue and total expenses ($143.9 million) at the program.The Bulldogs were one of the Top 10's stingiest programs in terms of spending with the second-lowest total behind Florida ($141.8 million). Georgia was a play away from the national title three years ago and nearly got back to the final last season.
The gap in revenues between Michigan and No. 5 Georgia is larger than the gap between Alabama and the No. 10 team on this list, LSU. What does this mean? Michigan Football is just fine under Jim Harbaugh in terms of support and being on solid financial footing. Football trumps all and attention is always geared toward the gridiron and ending the losing skid to Ohio State, but it'll be interesting to see how far Michigan's basketball program can push forward under Juwan Howard in the coming years.
As it did two years ago, Ohio State led the country in expenses ($220 million) while also exceeding other Big Ten schools in total revenue. The Buckeys are one of two teams inside the Top 10 that spent more than they brought in (Alabama). Ohio State is always going to rank among the nation's most prolific money generators and money spenders, but the Buckeyes get pretty strong bang for their buck; the football program is traditionally great, and the basketball team, under Chris Holtmann, is an annual contender. Ohio State was one play away from a Playoff berth last season and expects to be there in 2020.
Moving to the SEC has been a lucrative decision, as expected, for the Aggies. They haven't competed for a league title or spot in the final four just yet, but Jimbo Fisher's program is printing money as the conference's most successful in terms of total revenue. Texas A&M's revenue is nearly three times what it was a decade ago thanks to a 10-year investment in Fisher, stadium upgrades and unrivaled fan and booster support. Texas A&M spent 79 percent of its revenues this past year, listing expenses of $169 million.
Per 247Sports analyst Kevin Flaherty, "Texas has been at or near the top of these lists seemingly since they came out, a credit to DeLoss Dodds helping to churn the Longhorn athletic department into a money-making outfit so efficient that Texas booster Red McCombs once joked that "All the money that's not under the Vatican is at UT." That process has continued under multiple athletic directors since, and appears solidified with now-AD Chris Del Conte. And Texas spends that non-Vatican money well; two years ago Texas set a record with $207 million in expenses, and the Longhorns fell just shy of that point in 2018-19, spending $204 million."
247Sports national analyst Kevin Flaherty contributed to this story.
What College Makes The Most Money From Sports
Source: https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/College-football-revenue-producers-USA-Today-Texas-Longhorns-Ohio-State-Buckeyes-Alabama-Crimson-Tide-149248012/
Posted by: matthewsacketwound.blogspot.com
0 Response to "What College Makes The Most Money From Sports"
Post a Comment