Sagging economy means even fewer NCAA schools have profitable athletic departments

Economy cuts into college athletics

COLUMBIA, Mo. — A newly released NCAA report shows that just 14 of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision schools made money from campus athletics in the 2009 fiscal year, down from 25 the year before.

Researchers blame the sagging economy, and suggest next year’s numbers could be even worse.

The research was done by accounting professor Dan Fulks of Transylvania University in Kentucky. It shows the median amount paid by the 120 FBS schools to support campus athletics grew in one year from about $8 million to more than $10 million.

The NCAA doesn’t release individual schools’ revenues and expenses. But Fulks confirmed that Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Texas and Tennessee are among the select group that made money. So is Missouri, which reported generating $2 million in profits from campus athletics in 2009.