College athletics is big business these days, with sports like football and basketball, specifically, earning millions for universities each year. Thanks to media deals, ticket sales and merchandise, among other types of revenue, a number of NCAA programs have proven that they are more like multi-million dollar corporations than athletics offices. And if you need more proof, take a look at the richest NCAA sports programs to see why.
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15. Minnesota Golden Gophers – $98.3 million
One of the benefactors of the Big Ten Network, the Minnesota Golden Gophers jumped tremendously in revenue over the past several seasons, seeing an increase of over $20 million from 2010 until 2014. The main contributor was the conference’s TV deal, which earned the school over $40 million along with merchandising, even though the teams in big sports have been just above average in those years.
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14. Arkansas Razorbacks – $99.8 million
Thanks to a rebirth by the football program over the past several years—even though it has been with two different coaches—the Arkansas Razorbacks have been a premier program in the country. Although they earned less than $20 million through sponsors and donations, tier tickets sales and media and merchandising totaled over $75 million, helping them bring in $99.8 million in 2014.
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13. Auburn Tigers – $103.7 million
After inking a sponsorship deal with Under Armour to outfit several of its sports teams, the Auburn Tigers have remained steady in revenue each of the past few years. 2014 was no different, as the program earned $103.7 million in part to $31.8 million in donations and nearly $34 million from media rights and merchandising as part of the Under Armour agreement.
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12. Penn State Nittany Lions – $104.8 million
Although the Penn State sports program took a major PR hit after the unfortunate Joe Paterno and Jerry Sandusky situation, actually dropping in revenue over the past two years, the Nittany Lions have still maintained a top-15 ranking. With the Big Ten Network providing income as well as $24.5 million in donation from boosters, Penn State earned $104.8 million in 2014, which still shows they are a strong and resilient program.
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11. Iowa Hawkeyes – $107.2 million
Although most college sports fans might not think of the Iowa Hawkeyes as having one of the premier sports programs in the nation, their $107.2 million revenue in 2014 proves otherwise. The key to their success is stability, as the football team has had Kirk Ferentz on the sideline for over a decade which adds to the intrigue and support of Hawkeye fans. With income from the Big Ten Network in addition to others, Iowa stays strong financially.
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10. Tennessee Volunteers – $111.6 million
Moving up from 12th to 10th in the rankings of the most college sports revenue from 2013 to 2014, the Tennessee Volunteers have shown that they are still relevant to fans around the country. Even without great success on the football field like they had in the ’90s, the Vols nearly surpassed $35 million in ticket sales last year and earned a total of $111.6 million.
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9. Oregon Ducks – $115.2 million
Runners-up in the College Football Playoff this season, the Oregon Ducks athletic program has seen tremendous changes in the past several years. In addition to a solid football program that is known for wild uniforms and high-octane offense, the school recently opened a new athletic facility that resembles a resort more than anything. With a booster like Nike founder Phil Knight always supporting them, Oregon has the backing to always bring in lots of cash.
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8. LSU Tigers – $117.5 million
Another SEC school that has both a huge following and has had success in the major sports, the LSU Tigers haven’t seen the increase in revenue that some of these other school’s have over the same timeframe, but they still brought in $117.5 million in 2014.
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7. Oklahoma Sooners – $123.8 million
A big-time sports program that pumps a lot of money into their teams, the Oklahoma Sooners have some of the richest tradition of any on this list. So it’s no surprise to see that they’ve increased revenue tremendously over the past several years, seeing a leap of over $25 million in the past four years.
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6. Florida Gators – $130 million
Several years ago, there probably wasn’t a more dominant college sports program than the University of Florida. With several national titles in big sports like college football and men’s basketball, the Gators were the talk of the college sports world for the way they were built. Though they dipped a little in the past few years, they still brought in $130 million in 2014, good for sixth on this list.
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5. Ohio State Buckeyes – $139.6 million
This year’s inaugural College Football Playoff national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes have routinely seen their sports programs succeed. With fans that seem to travel anywhere to see the scarlet and gray, ticket sales surpassed $54 million, proving that the words, “OH-IO” will be yelled at nearly any stadium and arena in the country without hesitation.
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4. Michigan Wolverines – $143.5 million
The Michigan Wolverines have had some of the best success over the past 15-plus years in various sports, making them one of the biggest programs in the country. And with big-time boosters wanting to see their sports teams perform well, the school accepted over $31 million in donations in 2014, as well as bringing in $54 million through media rights and merchandising. It’s no wonder the football team just signed Jim Harbaugh to one of the richest contracts for a head coach ever.
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3. Alabama Crimson Tide – $143.8 million
With the premier college football program in the country and national intrigue, it’s probably not too surprising to see the Alabama Crimson Tide so high on this list. As I’ve mentioned a few times on this list before, college football is the No. 1-rated moneymaker for college athletics programs, and the Tide have as good as any in the country, elevating them to a earnings of $143.8 million last year.
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2. Wisconsin Badgers – $149.1 million
Thanks to a football program that has had tremendous success over the past 20-plus years and a men’s basketball program that is as consistent as any in the nation, the Wisconsin Badgers have climbed into the second spot on this list. Like others on this list getting revenue from the Big Ten Network, too, the Badgers have seen an upward slop of money over the past decade.
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1. Texas Longhorns – $165.7 million
Thanks to a deal with ESPN to establish the Longhorn TV Network a couple of years ago, the University of Texas has seen themselves climb to the top spot on the list of the richest NCAA sports programs. With intrigue and support for all of their sports, the Longhorns should stay towards the top for years to come.
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