Colorado Buffaloes Baseball To Return? Athletic Director Makes $10 Million Ask

Colorado Buffaloes athletic director Rick George may have a soft spot for baseball, but fans hoping for its return to Boulder shouldn’t hold their breath just yet. George recently claimed that Colorado needs $10 million to bring back the baseball program.

Sep 16, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes athletic director Rick George before the game against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

With the Colorado Buffaloes at Big 12 Media Day in Frisco, Texas, there’s been no shortage of storylines surrounding the Buffs, and Colorado athletic director Rick George found a way to get in the mix, too.

On Wednesday, a fan reached out to George on social media, asking, "Any movement yet on Softball and Baseball yet?" George reposted the message with a blunt response: "When we get a $10M gift, we will have some movement. Until then, no movement."

Nov 19, 2016; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes athletic director Rick George before the game against the Washington State Cougars at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

When we get a $10M gift we will have some movement. Until then, no movement. https://t.co/Ogki4rdyGE

— Rick George (@RickGeorgeCU) July 9, 2025

It was a candid statement, but not a surprising one. Nine months ago, George offered a similar take on the idea of Colorado bringing back baseball.

"I would love to have baseball. If you're going to have baseball, you're going to have softball from a Title IX perspective," George said at the time.

"That's something I'd love to have at some point in the future, but it's not something that's going to happen in the near-term, in my opinion."

Colorado hasn't had a varsity baseball program since the early 1980s. Today, the Buffaloes are one of just two Big 12 programs without a baseball team—the other being Iowa State.

When it comes to softball, CU is one of five Big 12 schools that doesn’t sponsor the sport, along with Cincinnati, Kansas State, TCU, and West Virginia.

But the roadblocks in place aren’t just institutional—they’re also financial, tied to the growing costs of modern college athletics and the realities of Title IX compliance.

NEW: Judge Claudia Wilken has approved the landmark House v. NCAA settlement, which will usher in revenue sharing and roster limits to college sports.https://t.co/UQdwaVC8ji pic.twitter.com/LDVJl4bwgb

— On3 (@On3sports) June 7, 2025

In June, the NCAA finalized a landmark revenue-sharing settlement that will allow schools to directly distribute up to $20 million annually across their athletes.

With athletic departments preparing for this new financial era, launching two new varsity programs in baseball and softball becomes a far more difficult proposition.

However, George’s background in professional baseball adds depth and a hint of optimism to the conversation.

George previously served as an executive with the Texas Rangers, which gives him a first-hand understanding of what building and maintaining a baseball operation entails, both logistically and financially.

Then there’s coach Deion Sanders, who spent nearly a decade as a Major League Baseball player.

Mar 1992; West Pam Beach, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Atlanta Braves outfielder DEION SANDERS in a spring training portrait at West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Imagn Images (c) Copyright Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Sanders remains closely tied to the game and has credited baseball with shaping his discipline, vision, and approach to athletics.

With his charisma and potential recruiting reach, it's easy to imagine how "Coach Prime" could help ignite interest, fundraising, and visibility if Colorado were to make a move toward reintroducing baseball.

However, while the Buffs have leadership with ties to the baseball diamond, that doesn’t mean a baseball or softball program is imminent.

Still, for Colorado fans, the dream lives on.

Stadium of the Night 🌚

🏟️ Folsom Field
✅ Capacity: 50,183
📍 Boulder, Colorado

Home of @CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/qHcEFWg0nC

— CFB Home (@CFBHome) April 25, 2025

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The idea of a Friday night baseball game under the lights in Boulder, with the Flatirons forming a postcard-perfect backdrop, remains an enticing vision.

Folsom Field has already shown what nighttime energy in Boulder can look like. A baseball stadium could someday capture that same magic.

And while the idea might not be at the top of George’s priority list in 2025, the growing success of Colorado football could shift the conversation.

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

If "Coach Prime" continues to elevate the Colorado football program, the resulting revenue might someday fund more than just Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.

It could help bring America’s pastime back to the Rocky Mountains in Boulder. Until then, Rick George has made it clear: It all starts with $10 million.