If you’ve followed this site long enough, you’re familiar with our fascination with money relating to college sports. We’ve done several stories looking into Alabama’s finances. (See this and this for examples)
But USA Today has the resources to compare the same information to the whole country. They released the results of the most recent study today. Click here for the full database.
In it, you’ll see Alabama’s 2010-11 revenues of $124.5 million ranked third in the nation. Only Texas ($150.3 million) and Ohio State ($131.8 million) made more cash than Alabama did last year. Don’t forget Texas separated itself from the crowd with help from the controversial Longhorn Network.
Alabama’s revenues outpaced expenses to net a $13.9 million in profit. That includes the $5.2 million that the university contributed to the athletics budget. Only seven schools operated without a subsidy from their respective universities including Texas and Ohio State.
Update: Now, a few more observations to put these numbers in proper perspective …
- Alabama’s revenue ($124.5 million) is 35.6 times more than Coppin State, the school that made the least money in 2010-11 ($3.5 million).
- The $6 million of revenue brought in by Alabama A&M would represent just 4.8 percent of Alabama’s intake.
- Other revenue totals for other Alabama Div. I schools: Alabama State $10.6 million, South Alabama $17.4 million, Jacksonville State $12.2 million, Troy $15.2 million, UAB $25.7 million, Auburn $103.9 million.
- Private schools like Sanford were not included in this study because they’re not subject to public records laws.
- The last five years of Alabama A&M’s total revenue ($35.2 million) doesn’t total what Alabama spent on coaching salaries along last year ($36.1 million).
- Five of the top 10 money-making schools came from the SEC (Alabama, Florida, LSU, Tennessee and Auburn).
- Four of the next 10 also came from the SEC if you don’t count Texas A&M.
- The two Mississippi schools are far behind the pack in SEC revenue. Mississippi State, the 11th-place member with $58.9 million, made $24.9 less than No. 10 South Carolina. Ole Miss is even further behind with $49.2 million.
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