Riley County spent $27,024,451 on men’s collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 15.4% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
This translates to roughly 27.8% of all spending for sports teams at the two universities in the county during the 2023 season.
The average sports expenses at Riley County have grown 133.9% since 2010.
College football is one of the biggest sports in the U.S., with some college teams eclipsing NFL teams in terms of attendance and profit.
In 2022, after a decades-long fight, student athletes nationwide gained the right to profit from their names, likenesses, and images as a result of a flurry of new state laws and an NCAA policy change.
Men’s Football Team’s Expenditures in Riley County in Last 5 Years
| Year | Football Team’s Expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $27,024,451 | 27.8% |
| 2022 | $23,426,696 | 27.7% |
| 2021 | $18,059,483 | 26.6% |
| 2020 | $22,758,496 | 28.7% |
| 2019 | $20,549,475 | 24.9% |
