In a recent poll published by ‘The Business of College Sports’ the University of Colorado ranks as the 32rd most profitable athletic department in the nation. The Buffaloes pocketed over $13.6 million last year.
This successful collegiate program is also an extremely helpful tool for academics at those same schools. The money the athletic department raises in ticket sales, merchandise and other forms does not remain in the department; rather it is filtered through the universities landscape like a large bag of mulch.
And that amount, that bag of cedar, is only going to get bigger moving into the newly formed PAC-12. The conference signed a network television deal with FOX and ESPN worth $3 billion over the next 12 years. (That’s $250 million a year, split 12 very equal ways.)
Making this type of money is all well in good only if it is put to work. If they update the University, with a strong emphasis on the athletic department, it’s more than worthwhile. Of all the PAC-12 schools CU is the 2nd most profitable, only Washington is ahead. But, of all the schools again, CU spent the 3rd least. Only Washington State and Oregon State invested less.
This is a new chapter in the long and historic lineage of the University of Colorado-Boulder. This new foothold, new West-coast perspective, spring-fresh start should make the school want to evolve, expand and push boundaries. CU could look a lot differently in the next decade, both athletically and academically.
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