B1G Average $103.3 Million
B12 Average $99 Million
PAC Average $85.6 Million
ACC Average $83.2 Million
ugh......ACC, we have a problem.
Inside College Sports: SEC, Big Ten dominate $100M revenue club
December 17, 2015 10:40 AM
The infusion of College Football Playoff dollars and increased television money continues to change the landscape of college sports. During 2014-15, 28 athletic departments listed at least $100 million in revenue, according to a CBS Sports analysis of recently released figures reported to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education.
Eighteen of the 28 schools at $100 million play in the SEC or Big Ten. Athletic departments in those conferences averaged more than $100 million in revenue, widening the financial gaps between the SEC and Big Ten with everyone else. Ten of the 19 biggest moneymakers last year came from the SEC. Texas reported the most revenue at $179.6 million, followed by Ohio State ($170.9 million) and Alabama ($150.6 million).
$100 Million Revenue Club (2014-15) | ||
Program | Athletic Revenue | Conference |
Texas | $179.6 million | Big 12 |
Ohio State | $170.9 million | Big Ten |
Alabama | $150.6 million | SEC |
LSU | $138.9 million | SEC |
Oklahoma | $135.7 million | Big 12 |
Michigan | $132.3 million | Big Ten |
Florida | $130.8 million | SEC |
Penn State | $127.9 million | Big Ten |
Auburn | $126.6 million | SEC |
Wisconsin | $125.8 million | Big Ten |
Tennessee | $121.8 million | SEC |
Notre Dame | $121.3 million | -- |
Florida State | $121.3 million | ACC |
Kentucky | $116.5 million | SEC |
Arkansas | $116.2 million | SEC |
Georgia | $116.2 million | SEC |
South Carolina | $113.2 million | SEC |
Michigan State | $113.0 million | Big Ten |
Texas A&M | $110.0 million | SEC |
Stanford | $109.7 million | Pac-12 |
Iowa | $107.4 million | Big Ten |
Baylor | $106.1 million | Big 12 |
USC | $105.9 million | Pac-12 |
Minnesota | $105.6 million | Big Ten |
Louisville | $104.3 million | ACC |
Nebraska | $103.8 million | Big Ten |
Washington | $103.5 million | Pac-12 |
Kansas | $103.3 million | Big 12 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education |
Schools sometimes count money differently so the EADA numbers aren’t a precise comparison. Also, revenue can significantly vary for a school by year if it is engaged in a capital fundraising campaign. Still, the figures provide a snapshot of the growing revenue for schools and the continuing divide between haves and have-nots, even within Power Five conferences.
The 65 universities that compromise the Power Five conferences (plus Notre Dame) totaled $6.3 billion in revenue during 2014-15. Last year marked the debut of the College Football Playoff, restructured bowl contracts that were far more lucrative, and the start of the SEC Network.
The gap in revenue can be startling. For instance, Texas A&M, a former Big 12 member, ranked 10th in revenue among SEC schools at $110 million. That was higher than every Pac-12 school, all but one ACC school (Florida State) and all but two Big 12 schools (Texas and Oklahoma).
SEC schools averaged $110.3 million in revenue, followed by the Big Ten ($103.3 million). Revenue from SEC schools spiked 25 percent in the past three years. The Big Ten is expected to soon see its money significantly jump after a new media rights deal.
Big 12 schools averaged $99 million in revenue last year, but that figure was heavily skewed by Texas ($179.6 million) and Oklahoma ($135.7 million). Six of the 10 Big 12 members were under $88 million. Pac-12 schools averaged $85.6 million and ACC schools averaged $83.3 million.
Gaps continue to widen even within major conferences. In 2007-08, Texas made $81.7 million more than Iowa State, the poorest Big 12 school. In 2014-15, that gap had grown to $113.9 million.
Ohio State and Rutgers were in different stratospheres in the Big Ten, separated last year by $105.8 million. Northwestern, Illinois and Purdue also got doubled up in revenue compared to Ohio State, last year’s national champion in football.
Alabama reported $82.4 million more than fellow SEC school Mississippi State. Georgia ($116.2 million), a perennial top-20 moneymaker nationally, was nearly as close in revenue to Ole Miss ($81 million) as it was to Alabama.
Of course, having a lot of money doesn’t automatically translate to on-field success. Ask Texas, which can’t get out of its own way on the football field in recent years. Still, more money means the ability to pay higher salaries and build fancier facilities in the never-ending fight to attract recruits and win games.
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