Georgia football team raking in the cash
By bzell
By Brent Zell
The Georgia football team is the most profitable in the Southeastern Conference, according to a report Thursday on Forbes.com.
The Bulldogs had a $53 million profit, which was best among SEC teams and third-best in the nation. UGA’s overall value was estimated at $90 million, good for seventh on the list.
Georgia is one of eight SEC teams in the 20-team list, including five of the top 10. LSU, fourth overall, is the most valuable SEC program at $96 million.
A program’s value was determined by football profit for academic and athletic department purposes, bowl game money and estimated customer spending on game days.
Other tidbits from the article:
- Texas continued its march toward being a conference of one. The Longhorn program is valued at $129 million and made a $71 million profit last season.
- Arkansas – eighth on the list – had a 59 percent increase in value over 2009.
- Penn State is third on the list, but have already lost several TV advertisers due to its recent scandal and could lose $20 to $30 million.
- Iowa vaulted over Oklahoma State into the top 20. That ranking will last until T. Boone Pickens hears about it and gets out his ATM card.
So basically, things are awful green in the South and Midwest. Fifteen of the 20 teams on the list are from the SEC or the Big 10. Gotta say, it was a surprise to see Michigan State on there instead of nouveau riche programs like Oklahoma State or Oregon. However, big things are looming out west. USC was No. 18 on the list despite two years without a bowl. Look for the Trojans to make a huge jump on this list next season. In 2012, the Trojans are bowl-eligible again, the monster Pac-12 TV contract kicks in AND the Trojans now will have superstar quarterback Matt Barkley back to make them even more of a hot ticket.
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