Football Does NOT Pay For Itself (Part II)

One of the main arguments that the Division of Athletics (DIA) makes for retaining Division I-A status is that football is the only sport that pays for itself.  In fact, the DIA argues that football revenues help pay for other sports.  This argument is both misleading and wrong.  On this page, we explain why it is wrong.  On the previous page, we explained why this argument is misleading.

The DIA claims that football pays for itself, and on paper this would appear to be true.  For example, in its 2001-02 budget report required by the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act, the Division claims that football generated $3 million in revenue while racking up only $2.9 million in expenses, leaving a $100,000 surplus.  However, this miracle is achieved only through creative accounting.

Specifically, the Division of Athletics excludes from the football budget several major items that clearly should be attributed wholly or partially to football.  For example, in 2000-01, the following costs were not attributed to football:

• Marketing/Broadcasting �  The DIA counts "marketing/broadcasting" as a separate $240,000 item not attributable to any particular sport, but it is clear that football consumes the vast majority of these funds.  Football is the only sport that receives a sustained marketing effort.  Furthermore, KSJS does broadcast many of the major sports contests.  However, the Division of Athletics does not pay them to do this.  The vast majority of broadcasting fund therefore must be spent on broadcasting football.

• Ticket Office � Although the DIA does sell tickets to most of its sporting events, it is nevertheless true that despite the low attendance at football games, it sells more football tickets than tickets to other sports.  Thus, at least a significant portion of this $141,000 expenditure should be attributed to football.
  
• Stadium Expenses -- The football team is the only team that is permitted to use the stadium for practices, and thus expenses for maintenance and upkeep of the stadium should be attributed in large part to the football program.
  
• Administrative Expenses -- In 2001-02, expenditures by the Office of the Athletics Director were $898,000.  The Director and his immediate subordinates do administer all of our sports, but it would simply not be credible to deny that football consumes far more of their time and effort than any other sport.  For example, the administration travels with the team to every away football game and attends every home football game. They do not do this with any other team.
  
• Other Costs -- There are several other items in the DIA budget that are not pro-rated to the football budget but which pay for costs associated largely with the football program. For example, football players are given priority in the weight training center.  The equipment room is budgeted separately, despite the fact that football equipment costs more to store than equipment from any other sport.  And the list goes on and on.

In other words, in order to balance the football budget, the DIA maximizes the appearance of football revenues and minimizes the appearance of football costs.  The argument that football pays for itself is a lie.  [But what do you expect?  The DIA has already demonstrated that it is willing to lie about the data in order to retain Division I-A status.]

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