UTEP Athletic Director breaks down profits
EL PASO, Texas — The 2016 NCAA revenue and expense report for all collegiate athletic programs is a 50-page to understand. Revenues, expenses, support funds and the overall bottom line can be intimidating. There have been breakdowns of the latest UTEP revenue and expense report showing the athletic department is spending more than it is making.
According to the Texas Tribune, the department is making $15,410,043 and spending $29,395,257. That's a $13,985,214 deficit.
UTEP athletic director tells KFOX14 these figures are calculated based on ticket sales, NCAA and other conference distributions from all university athletic programs. There are other components that go into calculating an athletic departments budget.
"It doesn't take into account they say is, 'institutional support,"' either direct or indirect, which makes a big difference in your budget," said UTEP athletic director Bill Stull.
"Every university in the country has institutional support."
Direct and indirect institutional supports are funds the department receives from different university sources.
Direct institutional support comes from transfers from Athletic Endowment interest, concession contracts and funds from events at athletic venues at UTEP. Those fund total at $ 8,491,475. Indirect institutional support comes from value of costs provided by UTEP to the athletic department like administrative services (HR and IT departments), security and utilities.
Stull later said he believes approximately 12 schools don't take institutional support.
KFOX14 spoke with one UTEP fan who believes bigger events will allow for more funds to come to the department. It could also allow for UTEP to compete fiscally with bigger programs.
"The schools that are on the top of the list those are bigger schools, you know," said Walter Harrison.
"They got bigger events going on and they generate a lot more money. As far as sports-wise, they're attracting a bigger crowd."
This year's Final Four could be another revenue stream for the UTEP athletic program. The 1966 Miner men's basketball team will be honored at the event. Every 30-second commercial at the Final Four in Houston is $1.5 million. Two minutes of the team being honored could be worth $6 million of free advertising.
