USC athletics No. 17 in country, ninth in SEC in revenue in 2015
South Carolina is one of 12 athletic departments in the country that operates without receiving any subsidies from its partner university, according to USA Today’s annual study of college athletics spending.
The Gamecocks made $113,172,544 and spent $107,430,044 in fiscal year 2014-2015. Those figures rank No. 17 and No. 18 in the nation, respectively.
Like everyone else in the Southeastern Conference, South Carolina saw a sharp increase in revenue this year thanks to the SEC Network and College Football Playoff revenues. The Gamecocks set their previous earnings record in 2013-2014 with revenues of $98.6 million.
Texas A&M, which saw a staggering $73 million increase in revenue, topped the country with an intake of $192.6 million, while the University of Texas topped the country in spending at $173.2 million. The Aggies’ athletic department was led by former South Carolina athletics director Eric Hyman until Hyman’s abrupt resignation in January.
Ten SEC schools ranked in the top 17 nationally in revenue. The Gamecocks ranked behind the Aggies, Alabama ($148.9 million), Florida ($147.1 million), LSU ($138.6 million), Tennessee ($126.6 million), Auburn ($124.7 million), Kentucky ($116.5 million), Georgia ($116.2 million) and Arkansas ($113.2 million).
Economist Andrew Zimbalist told USA Today that he sees an unstable bubble when he looks at college athletics spending.
“There are big-time things leading it to pop,” said Zimbalist, a professor of economics at Smith College and author of “Unpaid Professionals: Commercialization and Conflict in Big-Time College Sports.” “It’s an unstable situation.”
Top schools in revenue
The top 20 in revenue (and Clemson) in 2015:
Rank/School | Conf. | Revenue | Expenses |
1. Texas A&M | SEC | $192,608,876 | $109,313,651 |
2. Texas | Big 12 | $183,521,028 | $173,248,133 |
3. Ohio State | Big Ten | $167,166,065 | $154,033,208 |
4. Michigan | Big Ten | $152,477,026 | $151,144,964 |
5. Alabama | SEC | $148,911,674 | $132,354,913 |
6. Florida | SEC | $147,105,242 | $125,384,443 |
7. LSU | SEC | $138,642,237 | $121,947,775 |
8. Oklahoma | Big 12 | $134,269,349 | $123,017,251 |
9. Tennessee | SEC | $126,584,033 | $113,413,325 |
10. Penn State | Big Ten | $125,720,619 | $122,271,407 |
11. Auburn | SEC | $124,657,247 | $115,498,047 |
12. Wisconsin | Big Ten | $123,895,543 | $118,691,112 |
13. Florida State | ACC | $120,822,522 | $111,386,681 |
14. Kentucky | SEC | $116,494,690 | $115,159,039 |
15. Georgia | SEC | $116,151,279 | $96,559,307 |
16. Arkansas | SEC | $114,172,847 | $97,106,539 |
17. South Carolina | SEC | $113,172,545 | $107,430,044 |
18. Minnesota | Big Ten | $111,162,265 | $111,162,265 |
19. Michigan State | Big Ten | $108,687,274 | $108,283,151 |
20. Iowa | Big Ten | $105,969,545 | $109,214,651 |
39. Clemson | ACC | $83,534,371 | $82,855,674 |
Source: USA Today
How USC’s revenue has increased
A look at the past 11 seasons:
YEAR | TICKET SALES | CONTRIBUTIONS | RIGHTS / LICENSING | STUDENT FEES | SCHOOL FUNDS | OTHER | TOTAL REVENUES |
2015 | $29,958,915 | $31,209,408 | $41,129,812 | $0 | $2,947,429 | $7,926,981 | $113,172,545 |
2014 | $21,346,746 | $30,203,751 | $31,593,526 | $2,592,673 | $3,039,303 | $9,843,480 | $98,619,479 |
2013 | $20,086,353 | $25,887,641 | $31,219,646 | $2,537,697 | $0 | $10,753,085 | $90,484,422 |
2012 | $20,049,785 | $25,165,877 | $30,831,943 | $2,338,268 | $0 | $9,222,479 | $87,608,352 |
2011 | $19,763,502 | $24,393,202 | $29,729,826 | $2,248,275 | $0 | $7,678,421 | $83,813,226 |
2010 | $19,044,853 | $23,987,283 | $27,417,438 | $2,146,293 | $0 | $7,283,326 | $79,879,193 |
2009 | $21,688,752 | $24,537,424 | $21,843,068 | $2,098,087 | $0 | $5,949,809 | $76,117,140 |
2008 | $20,821,727 | $18,039,591 | $18,262,749 | $1,987,931 | $0 | $7,433,955 | $66,545,953 |
2007 | $18,918,142 | $17,390,312 | $16,771,162 | $1,197,375 | $0 | $6,267,540 | $60,544,531 |
2006 | $13,892,489 | $16,295,776 | $15,453,797 | $597,515 | $280,000 | $5,538,680 | $52,058,257 |
2005 | $11,273,772 | $16,247,202 | $12,572,702 | $574,387 | $280,000 | $5,332,267 | $46,280,330 |
Source: USA Today
This story was originally published April 18, 2016 at 4:07 PM with the headline "USC athletics No. 17 in country, ninth in SEC in revenue in 2015."