Florida State's trip to the '14 BCS National Championship Game "wasn’t cheap" -- it cost the school $2.82M and "left the athletics department with an initial loss of nearly $500,000 -- but the university expects to see a net profit when all is said and done," according to documents cited by Ira Schoffel of the TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT. FSU's "largest cost by far was transportation" at $1.373M, followed by "net ticket expenses" at $710,385. The school to "offset those costs" received $2.15M from the ACC and an additional $189,400 in "other revenue." That amounts to "total direct revenue of $2,339,400, which translates to an immediate shortfall of $481,213 when measured against expenses." But the documents note that the university “will more than cover the excess expenses" when other revenue is counted. That revenue includes FSU’s "share of the conference’s cumulative bowl revenue, which is split among football-playing member institutions; Licensing and trademark revenue related to national championship merchandise; And increases in season ticket sales and Seminole Boosters contributions" (TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT, 4/22). ESPN.com's David Hale noted FSU documents showed the athletic department transported "699 people to Pasadena for the game, including 237 members of the team and staff and 416 band members." The school also "committed to 22,740 tickets ranging in cost between $215 and $385, and 2,125 were absorbed by the institution." Another $364,005 was "spent on meals and lodging, $22,029 on entertainment and $23,668 on promotion." FSU also "lost another $213,812 on its appearance in the ACC championship game, bringing its total postseason price tag to nearly $700,000" (ESPN.com, 4/21).
