Razorback Athletics Live to Fight Another Year

February 17, 2021

Sports

Razorback Athletics Live to Fight Another Year

NWA Daily

Due mostly to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U of A Athletic Department has reported a nearly double-digit decline in revenue for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. However, despite the circumstances, the university came within about $500,000 of breaking even - which is no small feat considering the magnitude fo the top-line gap it had to fill.

  • The department's total revenue for FY 2020 was $123.35 million, down 10.2 percent from $137.49 million in FY 2019, according to the university’s revenue and expense report.
  • The NCAA also cancelled the highly profitable men's basketball tournament in 2020, leaving Arkansas' revenue distribution portion down 62 percent ($3.22 million to $1.22 million).
  • Athletic contributions took a backseat this year as well, bringing in $17.9 million in 2020, compared to $22.63 in 2019.
  • Arkansas Football brought in the bulk of the department's total revenue, accounting for nearly 57 percent ($70.28 million), down from $75.75 million last year.
  • Arkansas Baseball revenue was down 42 percent ($3.86 million), with $4.69 million in expenses. Last year the team actually profited (which is rare in NCAA Division I baseball), earning $6.71 million in 2019, against expenses of $5.87 million.
  • Finally, the university reported ticket sales in 2020 totaled $34.5 million, down nearly 15 percent from $40.5 million in 2019. -Talk Business & Politics

In addition, Arkansas’ athletic department is self-sustaining and takes no student fees or taxpayer support. Here's to a more hopeful athletic season in 2021 - Let's go Hogs!

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