UVA's football program produced the athletic department's most revenue with $32,550,203GETTY IMAGES
The Univ. of Virginia athletic department during FY '17-18 operated at a deficit of more than $340,000 despite generating $106,581,570, its "most revenue" since at least '05, according to Ron Counts of the Charlottesville DAILY PROGRESS. UVA exceeded $100M in revenues for the "second time in three years," but expenses were $106,926,915. In '16, the department reported its only surplus since '12. The athletic department took out a "short-term operating loan from the university to cover" the '18 deficit. UVA in '18 received $19,218,000 in media rights associated with radio, television, internet and e-commerce. Ticket sales produced $13,885,527, which is up from $12,339,296 in '17. UVA's largest expense was coaching salaries, benefits and bonuses. The football team produced the department’s most revenue among UVA's 27 NCAA sponsored programs with $32,550,203 (Charlottesville DAILY PROGRESS, 1/31).
TIGER STRIPES: In K.C., Alex Schiffer reported the Missouri athletic department "operated in the red" for the second consecutive year, "running a deficit" of nearly $2M. Mizzou athletics generated $107,351,581 in revenue during FY '17-18 ended June 30, the second year under AD Jim Sterk, a 9.7% increase from FY '16-17. The department spent $109,158,122 in FY '18, a $7M increase from FY '17. MU basketball ticket sales saw a $2M increase, "mainly because of the addition" of Michael Porter Jr., despite the now-Nuggets F only playing three games at Mizzou "because of back surgery." However, overall ticket revenue dropped from nearly $18M in FY '17 to $17.5M in FY '18. Football ticket revenue dropped from $11.05M to $10.5M, as attendance "took another slight decline" to an average of 51,466 per game, down from 51,490 in '17 (K.C. STAR, 1/31).
SOUR APPLE: In Dallas, Ben Baby notes the Univ. of Houston reported a drop of $5.7M in "football-related operating revenue" following the '17 season, due in part to the "transition from Tom Herman" to now fired coach Major Applewhite. In the '16-17 school year, UH's football program accounted for $12.1M of its total operating revenue. In '17, the season "after Herman left to become Texas' coach, the Cougars made" only $6.3M. A $2.3M dip in miscellaneous operating revenue "accounted for the low overall total." Reduced ticket sales also "played a key role" (DALLASNEWS.com, 1/31).
SEEING GREEN: In Texas, Brett Vito noted North Texas' athletic revenue grew "across the board at a time when key sports programs are thriving." UNT students "voted in favor of a proposal" in early '18 that increased student athletic fees to $16.25, while "decreasing a student services fee." These changes gave UNT athletics an additional $3.5M per year. UNT's fiscal report shows the school "supplemented the additional income from students by improving its fundraising efforts." UNT's "self-generated revenue" increased by $2.3M, a jump of 38% over '17-18. Ticket sales were up 19% to $1.3M, and annual donations rose by 123% to $2.8M (DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE, 1/31).
