A Five-Year Snapshot of University of South Florida Athletics

Last Updated on May 5, 2011

As I prepare to go on WTSP in Tampa/St. Pete tonight to talk with my friend Noah Pransky about USF’s student activity fees, I’ve been looking at other USF data. I thought it would be interesting to see how the landscape has changed for them over the past five years. Here goes:

REVENUE2004-20052004-2005 % of Total Revenue2009-20102009-2010 % of Total RevenuePercent Change from 04/05-09/10
Ticket sales$2,975,011.0014.47%$6,414,049.0016.37%115.60%
Student fees$9,183,299.0044.65%$13,026,289.0033.24%41.85%
Guarantees$1,058,491.005.15%$1,101,000.002.81%4.02%
Contributions$2,675,193.0013.01%$2,893,587.007.38%8.16%
Compensation and benefits provided by a third party$13,979.000.07%$92,400.000.24%560.99%
Direct state or other government support$0.000%$0.000%0.00%
Direct institutional support$1,093,589.005.32%$1,158,748.002.96%5.96%
Indirect facilities and administrative support$0.000%$0.000%0.00%
NCAA/conference distributions including all tournament revenues$1,426,973.006.94%$8,088,819.0020.64%466.85%
Broadcast, television, radio, and internet rights$400,000.001.94%$588,298.001.50%47.07%
Program sales, concession, novelty sales, and parking$242,773.001.18%$334,251.000.85%37.68%
Royalties, licensing, advertisements and sponsorships$1,042,549.005.07%$4,935,295.0012.59%373.39%
Sports camp revenues$0.000%$0.000%0.00%
Endowment and investment income$242,750.001.18%$231,633.000.59%-4.58%
Other$211,264.001.03%$326,570.000.83%54.58%
TOTAL$20,565,871.00 $39,190,939.00 90.56%
      
EXPENSES     
Athletic student aid$3,297,322.0016.63%$4,873,479.0012.47%47.80%
Guarantees$1,134,442.005.72%$1,839,385.004.71%62.14%
Coaching salaries, benefits, and bonuses paid by the university and related entities$3,353,353.0016.92%$7,320,552.0018.73%118.31%
Coaching other compensation and benefits paid by a third party$5,915.000.03%$66,600.000.17%1025.95%
Support staff/administrative salaries, benefits and bonuses paid by the university and related entities$3,607,678.0018.20%$6,568,013.0016.80%82.06%
Support staff/administrative other compensation and benefits paid by a third party$8,064.000.04%$25,800.000.07%219.94%
Severance payments$0.000%$266,010.000.68%0.00%
Recruiting$346,804.001.75%$570,462.001.46%64.49%
Team travel$1,803,105.009.10%$3,514,564.008.99%94.92%
Equipment, uniforms and supplies$497,757.002.51%$1,456,716.003.73%192.66%
Game expenses$688,554.003.47%$1,380,959.003.53%100.56%
Fund raising, marketing and promotion$791,514.003.99%$1,635,221.004.18%106.59%
Sports camps expenses$0.000%$0.000%0.00%
Direct facilities, maintenance, and rental$1,972,045.009.95%$3,594,608.009.20%82.28%
Spirit groups$88,034.000.44%$437,699.001.12%397.19%
Indirect facilities and administrative support$0.000%$0.000%0.00%
Medical expenses and medical insurance$299,232.001.51%$892,883.002.28%198.39%
Memberships and dues$343,281.001.73%$540,666.001.38%57.50%
Other operating expenses$1,586,773.008%$4,105,043.0010.50%158.70%
TOTAL$19,823,873.00 $39,088,660.00 97.18%

I admittedly don’t have the time this morning to research everything I’d like to, but I’m also limited by the fact that I’ve been unable to get a response from USF. So, here are my initial reactions:

  • Expense growth has outpaced revenue growth by almost 7 percent. That’s never good, but I’m sure the economy is at least partially to blame.
  • Things like student fees and athletic student aid are up, but that’s expected as enrollment grows and tuition increases.
  • Endowment and investment income is down. This may be a product of the economy, but 2009-2010 is the second lowest over the past five years: $242,750 (2004-2005), $211,850 (2005-2006), $230,900 (2006-2007), $332,942 (2007-2008), $390,786 (2008-2009), $231,633 (2009-2010).
  • Conference distributions are up by 467 percent over the past five years. Distributions nearly quadrupled from 04/05 to 05/06 and a new ESPN deal began in 06/07. Watch for television dollars to cause conference distributions to jump again, because the Big East is expected to ink a new deal that will double what they bring in now.
  • The 106% increase in fund raising, marketing and promotion expense seems well spent since royalties, licensing, advertising and sponsorship has increased by over 373 percent.
  • On a related note to the 106% increase in fund raising, marketing and promotion, however, I’m underwhelmed by the mere 8.16% increase in alumni contributions. I checked a couple of other programs in the conference and their increases in alumni contributions over the same time period was far more substantial: Louisville had a 45.82% increase and Rutgers had a whopping 116.34% increase. I also checked some other schools I had laying in front of me, both of which also had far more substantial increases than USF: UCF had a 58.11% increase and Memphis had a 64.38% increase.

Would love to hear from the USF fans out there. What are your thoughts? What do you see in the numbers that I didn’t cover?

Author

  • Kristi Dosh

    Kristi A. Dosh is the founder of BusinessofCollegeSports.com and has served as a sports business analyst and contributor for outlets such as Forbes, ESPN, SportsBusiness Journal, Bleacher Report, SB Nation and more. She is also the author of a book on the business of college football, Saturday Millionaires. Kristi is a sought-after consultant and speaker on topics related to the business of college sports and a former practicing attorney. Click to learn more

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7 Comments
  • Scott
    May 4, 2011

    I wonder how USF could benefit from a few home and home series with UCF. Maybe it would build awareness in Tampa and wake up the Alumni.

  • Robert
    May 4, 2011

    You want to hear from USF fans. I guess you would also like to see a unicorn or find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. (Besides…. those that exist can’t read.)*

    *Sorry… I just couldn’t help myself.

  • Ronald
    May 5, 2011

    It is kind of hard for USF grads to donate a significant amount of money on their McDonalds salaries.

  • Joe
    December 22, 2011

    I graduated in 2005, and have been a green jacket level donor ever since. It bothers me that other alumi aren’t as supportive of the athletic program.

  • William
    December 22, 2011

    Well maybe if USF athletics proved they gave a crap about the athletics program, then maybe more people would give money. You allowed the owners of the BUCS to give money to Tulane to build a stadium before you even start planning to build one? Are you serious right now, and lets not even get into the coaches who coach our programs. We have the worst collection of coaches of any BCS school. No one in the higher up cares, so no one is fired. Our baseball coach has to be the worst coach in the Big East but the guy gets a SEVEN YEAR EXTENSION…this is why no gives to the department. USF alum please tell me the last time you heard about an athletics event with out having to look it up yourself? Oh yea in case you didn’t know, the marketing by USF athletics is laughable. My left nut could market better then them. Add that to being overly loyal to coaches who would be fired from coaching high school because they are so bad. And you have a recipe for FU from the alumni. Why should I give to a department who is crap on my money? Which is why many of us give to the Business and Medical schools instead.

  • usfmikeb
    December 23, 2011

    William – how can you say that USF “allowed” the Glazers to donate to Tulane? That suggests that USF has the power to control the Glazers, which means that your entire post is worthless.

  • Mission9
    December 23, 2011

    The comments by Robertard and Ronald McDonald are lame and pointless. They merely expose to everyone their brain donor status. No originality at all. Please leave comedy to the true professionals.