The Univ. of Utah reported $79.4M in total athletic revenue in FY '15-16, highlighted by "robust football and men's basketball ticket sales" and a boost in Pac-12 revenue distributions, according to Kyle Goon of the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE. The revenue included "subsidies, benefits and other non-cash assets." Last year was Utah's "biggest budget ever." Utah athletics CFO Steve Smith estimates that the athletics department had north of $72M in "true cash revenue last year, higher than the Utes projected." The school had seven home football games in '15, leading to $12.6M in ticket sales. There also was $2.9M from men's basketball ticket sales after the team "averaged just shy of 13,000 fans per game last season, second-best in the Pac-12." The other boost "came from Pac-12 revenue," which increased to $8.3M. The school also saw an increase in distribution for Pac-12 Networks, as Utah had $19.9M in media rights revenue in FY '15-16. The athletic department reported $78.1M in expenses, a figure that "rose with coaching salaries and more staffing jobs the department has added." But there are some "other hidden figures, some which will appear this year in other forms as Utah complies to a recommendation to the legislative audit it received last year." Utah "doesn't have to include donations in reserve in the NCAA report until the money is allocated." The school has around $16.8M saved (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 2/26).
