USA Today: Sooners Drop a Spot as 2018-19 Revenue Dips

Contributions fell off significantly last year — well before the pandemic hit

Oklahoma dropped a spot in this year’s USA Today athletic department financial rankings thanks to a $12 million dip in revenue.

Last year OU ranked seventh nationally after generating $175.325 million in revenue.

This year’s total revenue — which reflect fiscal year 2018-2019, well before the Coronavirus pandemic hit — fell to $163.127 million and includes ticket sales ($42.947 million), contributions ($45.566 million), media rights and licensing ($63.357 million) and other streams ($11.256 million).

Ticket sales remained steady from last year, contributions dropped by more than $17 million, and media rights and licensing increased by almost $8 million.

OU’s athletic department also reported more expenses in 2018-2019: $157.958 million, up from $152.674 million the previous year.

Expenses include salaries for coaches and staff ($51.1 million), scholarships ($16.0 million), facilities and overhead ($35.4 million) and other expenditures ($55.5 million).

Those numbers stayed mostly static from the previous year’s report, with salaries up almost $4 million, scholarships up almost $1 million, facilities and overhead down just over $1 million and “other” expenses up almost $2 million.

OU ranked third nationally last year in net revenue with $22.6 million, but that number fell off to just $5.168 million in this year’s report and ranks 15th nationally.

Texas continued its financial dominance, raking in $223.9 million in revenue while spending $204.2 million.

Ohio State ranked No. 1 in total expenses, with $220.6 million, creating a deficit of some $10 million as total revenue was $210.5 million, third-most nationally behind UT and Texas A&M ($212.7 million). Alabama also operated at a significant deficit: $21.2 million.

Top 15: Net Revenue (2018-19)

1. Texas A&M $43.7 million
2. Georgia $30.7 million
3. Texas $19.6 million
4. Florida $17.9 million
5. Mississippi State $13.4 million
6. Auburn $13.2 million
7. Indiana $13.0 million
8. Kansas $12.7 million
9. Nebraska $12.1 million
10. LSU $8.8 million
11. Arkansas $7.9 million
12. Kentucky $7.5 million
13. Michigan $6.9 million
14. Iowa $5.7 million
15. Oklahoma $5.2 million

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