Like many of us, we tend to have a favorite college team we cheer for. Here in the Quad-Cities, allegiances are often split between the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, the Iowa State University Cyclones and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. For others, our loyalty and fanfare may lie with one of the hundreds of other colleges and universities spread across the country.
Mark M. Grywacheski
Kevin Schmidt
Regardless of whom you follow, the commonality amongst most schools is that their sports programs generate a substantial amount of money. That revenue comes in the form of ticket sales, media rights, merchandising, licensing, concessions and donors, among many other sources. But some schools’ athletic departments collect a lot more money than others.According to sports information company Sportico, for fiscal year 2023, the Buckeyes of The Ohio State University collected a staggering $279.6 million in athletic revenues across its 38 men’s and women’s varsity sports teams. This was the most among the 134 schools in the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The FBS consists of the 134 largest schools in the U.S. Ohio State has been ranked No. 1 the last two years and has finished in the Top 3 in five of the last six years.
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Joining Ohio State among the top revenue earners is fellow blue blood program the University of Texas, which generated $271.1 million in athletic revenues last year, the second most in the nation. $86 million of this was received through private donations. Yes, the Texas oil industry has created a lot of wealthy donors! Rounding out the Top 5 are No. 3 Texas A&M University ($267.2 million) followed by the University of Michigan ($229.4 million) and the University of Georgia ($206.5 million). Locally, the University of Iowa ranks No. 18 ($166.8 million), the University of Illinois ranks No. 27 ($137.8 million) while Iowa State University ranks No. 48 ($115.5 million). Sportico collected the data from financial reports submitted by each university to the NCAA.But within the individual sports teams, there’s a big difference between generating revenue versus generating profits (revenues less expenses). Each team incurs significant expenses such as the salaries of coaches and support staff, facilities fees, travel, medical costs and insurance, equipment, supplies and marketing to name just a few.Outside of football, and in some cases men’s basketball, the majority of college sports teams don’t generate a profit — they actually lose money. At Ohio State, of its 18 men’s teams and 20 women’s teams, only football and men’s basketball posted a profit. Last year, their football team generated a net profit of $55 million while its men’s basketball team generated a profit of $9.7 million. The other 36 sports teams generated a combined net loss of $55.7 million. Like many schools, the profits from Ohio State’s football team were used to cover the losses of nearly all other sports teams at the university.At the University of Texas, the football program generated a massive $122 million profit last year while its men’s basketball team posted a profit of $6.5 million. The university’s other 15 varsity sports teams all lost money, reporting a cumulative loss of $30.1 million.Given its influence, it’s of little surprise why college football is such a dominating force. For the titans like Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, Georgia and Alabama, their football teams are the cornerstone of funding for their massive stadiums, high-tech training centers and state-of-the-art sports facilities. Last year, the University of Michigan spent $16.5 million on travel expenses for their men’s and women’s sports teams. At Ohio State, the tally was $14.2 million. That’s more money than the $10.4 million Northern Illinois University generated in total revenues last year from all 16 of its men’s and women’s sports teams.So, the next time you go to a college football game or watch one on TV, understand there’s a rationale to all the pomp and circumstance that goes along with it. For most universities, football has become their own personal money tree.
Iowa wide receiver Jacob Gill discusses the Minnesota rivalry during his midweek media availability on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
Photos: College Football – St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff
St. Ambrose quarterback Tomele Staples is well protected by the offensive line as he looks for a receiver during their game against Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose receiver Jalen Coleman is tackled by Tim McCarthy of Briar Cliff after making a leaping catch during their game on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose receiver Jalen Coleman (15) is congratulated by teammates Braden Downs, Kameron Bohnsack and Max Vasquez after Coleman’s third-quarter touchdown catch during the season-opening home victory at Jack and Pat Bush Stadium in Davenport.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose Brock Mason, right, is unable to keep Jaiden-Aavery Stowers of Briar Cliff out of the endzone on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose runningback Kaden King gets outside of Briar Cliff’s Johnny Bouser for plus yardage during their game on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose defensive linemen Caleb Ballard and Nolan Obert team up to bring down Briar Cliff quarterback Brock Saya before he could pass the ball to Eli Burns on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose University receivers Jalen Coleman (15) and former Rockridge High School prep Kameron Bohnsack (4) will have bigger roles in the Fighting Bees’ offense now that teammate Mikey Hellwig is out with an injury.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
St. Ambrose vs Briar Cliff on Saturday, August 31, 2024 at Jack and Pat Bush Field.
Roy Dabner
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Mark Grywacheski is an expert in financial markets and economic analysis and is an investment adviser with Quad-Cities Investment Group, Davenport.Disclaimer: Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice. Any prices or quotations contained herein are indicative only and do not constitute an offer to buy or sell any securities at any given price. Information has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee that the material presented is accurate or that it provides a complete description of the securities, markets or developments mentioned. Quad-Cities Investment Group LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission.
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