[sammyg2]

It is NOT nonsense, is is good business.
A winning football team can bring in many times the $$$ it costs.
A losing football team does not get a bowl game, does not get guaranteed TV coverage, and does not fill the stadium. IOW it LOOOSES money. Millions of dollars.

Auburn athletics reports more than $15 million profit, record revenue in 2016
Updated on February 15, 2017 at 2:58 PM Posted on February 15, 2017 at 1:39 PM


Auburn athletics reported a more than $15.2 million profit thanks to a program record revenue of over $140 million for the 2016 fiscal year, according to the school's NCAA financial report.

The annual report, released Wednesday in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, lists Auburn with generating $140,070,592 in total revenue and $124,864,399 in total expenses for a profit of $15,206,194.

It is the second straight year Auburn athletics has operated at a profit, thanks to a more than $15 million increase in revenue from the 2015 fiscal year.

Auburn Athletic Finances

Year Total Revenue Total Expenses Surplus/Deficit
2016 $140,070,593 $124,864,399 $15,206,194
2015 $124,657,247 $115,498,047 $9,159,200
2014 $113,716,004 $127,340,380 $(13,624,376)
2013 $103,680,609 $104,546,603 $(865,994)
2012 $105,951,253 $97,128,835 $8,822,418
2011 $103,982,441 $100,497,784 $3,484,657
2010 $92,611,558 $90,908,902 $1,702,656
2009 $87,001,413 $85,480,343 $1,521,070
2008 $89,311,824 $69,841,200 $19,470,624
2007 $81,799,266 $68,910,465 $12,888,801
2006 $66,599,925 $63,249,119 $3,350,806
Auburn saw increases in ticket sales (from $30,181,317 to $32,165,386), revenue guarantees from playing in away games ($458,000 to $3,240,000), which was due almost entirely to playing in the 2015 Chick-fil-A Kickoff game for $3.2 million, media rights ($27,386,761 to $33,967,851), conference distribution ($8,680,947 to $10,043,683) and other areas. However, contributions fell from $36,949,743 to $35,570,146.

Expense increases came in student aid ($14,945,396 to $15,559,381), coaching salaries ($21,120,891 to $22,553,348), support staff and administration compensation ($21,249,298 to $23,077,255) and other areas.

Ticket sales increased for football ($28,396,362 to $29,827,136), men's basketball ($1,090,598 to $1,538,608), baseball ($321,067 to $343,553), softball ($144,457 to $265,745) and women's basketball ($47,337 to $69,659), but dropped slightly in gymnastics ($98,088 to $91,263).


Contributions dropped in football ($28,899,968 from $30,421,313) but increased in men's basketball ($2,598,514 from $2,355,884).

In coaching salaries, Auburn reported total compensation and benefit to Gus Malzahn of $5,536,958, up from $4,486,760, though the total compensation for the football coaching staff dropped, as expected, from $6,728,710 to $6,306,821.

Bruce Pearl's total compensation increased from $2,364,259 to $2,607,076 and the men's basketball coaching staff increased from $717,905 to $768,144.

Severance payments (buyouts to former coaches) decreased for both former men's basketball coach Tony Barbee ($822,938 from $1,015,017) and former football coaches ($2,415,787 from $3,637,141).

Recruiting expenses decreased for football ($1,040,148 from $1,108,660) but increased slightly in men's basketball ($263,521 from $226,516).

Also of note is Auburn's reported cost of attendance, which the athletic program now covers for scholarship athletes, increased slightly from for in-state ($29,164 from $28,098) and out-of-state ($46,348 from $44,610). This is compared to the full grant-in-aid for in-state ($23,178 from $22,204) and out-of-state ($40,362 from $38,716), which used to be all that was covered by athletic scholarships.

Auburn athletics reports more than $15 million profit, record revenue in 2016 | AL.com