Friday, February 20, 2009

It Might Be Hard Economic Times But SEC Athletics Will Still Prosper

Southern Appeal has a entry as to the University of Georgia Athletic Department. See Damon Evans for Treasury Secretary!. Turns out that the University of Georgia made a profit of "$20 million (with an “M”) worth of spare change at the end of this fiscal year."

I suspect the situation is similar for most if not all South Eastern Conference Schools. The new Television Contract alone gives each school from LSU to little ole Vanderbilt 15 million dollars a piece. The 15 million dollars is bigger than the whole budget of some decent non SEC Athletic programs

I recall when the oil bust hit Louisiana and things had to be cut across the board and even at LSU . Most SEC schools are now in the situation not to have to go begging to the State legislature for funds for Sport's programs.

The situation has been helped that such programs as College Baseball (that starts in gusto tonight) are now operating more and more in the black and thus not a overall drain.

Sadly though the SEC's situation is not across the board for College Athletics. For instance my also beloved Louisiana Tech (though on better footing than many in the University of Louisiana System) is not operating in the black. Though the exposure of the WAC is starting to pay off through better TV contracts and things of that nature.

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