Ticket sales dropped once again, as football and men's basketball each generated about $1M Univ. of Missouri
The Univ. of Missouri's athletic department "finished with a budget deficit" of $1.79M in FY '19, marking the "third straight fiscal year" in the red, according to Liam Quinn of the Columbia MISSOURIAN. This year's deficit is "slightly smaller than last year's," which was about $1.81M. However, after "revenue growth last year," Missouri "reported a slightly lower revenue stream" in FY '19. The athletic department's revenues were $106.6M, "just shy" of the $107.3M reported in '18. Overall ticket sales "decreased for the second straight year, with both football and men's basketball each generating" about $1M less in ticket revenue than the previous year. Men's basketball ticket sales "saw a reduction of nearly 16%, after increasing by 70% a year earlier," reflecting hype around highly-touted recruit and now-Nuggets F Michael Porter Jr. Meanwhile, football ticket sales "fell for the fifth straight year," generating $9.57M in FY '19, which includes the '18 season. Coach Barry Odom was fired in December, and AD Jim Sterk "admitted that attendance was one of the reasons he made the change." The '18 season also saw a "reduced capacity at Memorial Stadium due to the construction of the new south end zone facility." Missouri officials "anticipate slightly higher ticket sale numbers in next year's report to the NCAA," which will include the '19 football season, when the new south end zone opened (Columbia MISSOURIAN, 1/29).
