After a year of financial turmoil related to COVID-19, Alabama’s athletics financial report is back on solid ground.
The school reported record first-year sales of $214.4 million after the major impact of the global pandemic rocked the collegiate athletics world. Expenditure also rose above pre-pandemic levels, but the athletics division still ended the fiscal year with a profit of $18.5 million, according to the financial report filed with the NCAA and obtained by AL.com through a request was obtained according to public records.
That surplus is earmarked to fund existing debt for completed construction projects, an Alabama spokesman said.
The $214.4 million in revenue would have been the third-highest nationwide in the last year before COVID-19, according to the USA Today database.
Alabama revenue increased more than $34 million for fiscal 2022, which spanned July 2021 through June 2022. The return to full-capacity stadiums and arenas fueled that upswing as ticket receipts soared from $7.4 million in 2021 to $44.2 million a year later. That figure of $44.2 million is almost $5 million more than revenue from last season, before the pandemic limited capacity to 20% at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Looking purely at football, Alabama’s revenue hit a record $130.9 million (up from $110 million before the pandemic) with a $52.3 million profit used to fund the rest of the department contributed.
A few other SEC schools recently submitted their financial reports. Arkansas’ revenue was $152.5 million, while LSU brought in $199.3 million (compared to Alabama’s $214.4 million). Arkansas earnings were $8.2 million, while LSU earnings were $6.5 million (compared to Alabama’s $18.5 million).
| School | FB earnings | total revenue | overall profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $130,868,208 | $214,365,357 | $18,483,446 |
| LSU | $95,104,156 | $199,309,282 | $6,538,893 |
| Arkansas | $83,679,224 | $152,513,755 | $8,194,714 |
Alabama’s 2022 recovery also came without the help of the SEC, which kept 2021 profitable. Each school received $23 million from the league, leaving Alabama in the black. Without them, Alabama’s athletics department would have lost $13.4 million in 2021.
Aside from ticket revenue, a few other items saw increases in 2022. Contributions rose $17.5 million to a record $52.3 million, while media rights saw a more modest increase of $2.9 million to $53.6 million.
When it comes to spending, the biggest increases have been directly related to the pandemic. Guarantees for non-conference games decreased from $306,433 excluding non-SEC football games for the 2020 season to $4.9 million for the 2021 season (fiscal year 2022). Recruitment travel was banned at the height of the pandemic, bringing those costs down to $734,399 before dropping back to $3.9 million as coaches and recruits were able to travel again.
The past three years of Alabama’s financials show a recovery
| revenue | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | change in 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ticket Sales | $39,360,461 | $7,406,322 | $44,211,016 | $36,804,694 |
| 2. Direct government maintenance. | $0 | $4,417,782 | $0 | -$4,417,782 |
| 3. Tuition Fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 4. direct inst. Entertains. | $6,431,600 | $7,436,011 | $14,956,762 | $7,520,751 |
| 5. Less – referrals to instit. | -$5,423,655 | $161,450 | -$6,199,127 | -$6,360,577 |
| 6. Offline institute maintenance. | $3,560,034 | $2,991,279 | $2,621,236 | -$370,043 |
| 7. Guarantees | $2,388,877 | $20,480 | $84,000 | $63,520 |
| 8. Posts | $19,699,667 | $34,810,706 | $52,330,947 | $17,520,241 |
| 9. Benefits in kind | $981,680 | $829,500 | $782,353 | -$47,147 |
| 10. Third Party Comp | $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| 11. Media Rights | $49,620,557 | $50,750,672 | $53,614,078 | $2,863,406 |
| 12. NCAA distributor | $749,569 | $3,056,420 | $2,975,875 | -$80,545 |
| 13. Conference Distribution | $11,934,414 | $39,855,781 | $12,223,365 | -$27,632,416 |
| 14th program, sale of new products | $9,912 | $3,826 | $6,455 | $2,629 |
| 15. Royalties, Licensing, Advertisements | $13,020,960 | $14,064,127 | $15,160,050 | $1,095,923 |
| 16th Sports Camp rev. | $319,587 | $852,174 | $1,878,146 | $1,025,972 |
| 17. Foundation/Investment | $8,669,964 | $4,419,683 | $7,793,087 | $3,373,404 |
| 18. Miscellaneous | $36,744,898 | $4,663,326 | $5,126,095 | $462,769 |
| 19. Bowl Earnings | $1,682,163 | $4,383,647 | $6,791,019 | $2,407,372 |
| TOTAL OPERATING INCOME | $189,282,549 | $179,800,409 | $214,365,357 | $34,564,948 |
| Costs | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2022 difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20. Student Aid | $17,365,698 | $18,482,839 | $18,952,318 | $469,479 |
| 21. Warranties | $4,583,000 | $306,433 | $4,963,000 | $4,656,567 |
| 22. Coach Salaries | $30,821,496 | $34,207,110 | $35,145,423 | $938,313 |
| 23. Third Party Salaries | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 24. Auxiliary Staff Compensation | $32,183,991 | $31,289,252 | $34,278,979 | $2,989,727 |
| 25. Third Party Support Comp. | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 26. Strictness | $850,044 | $993,680 | $612,003 | -$381,677 |
| 27. Recruitment | $3,396,572 | $734,399 | $3,824,089 | $3,089,690 |
| 28. Team Travel | $5,464,311 | $6,532,726 | $7,079,927 | $547,201 |
| 29. Equipment | $3,448,983 | $3,091,793 | $3,228,551 | $136,758 |
| 30. Gaming Costs | $8,048,587 | $4,593,765 | $9,054,652 | $4,460,887 |
| 31. Fundraising/Marketing | $3,718,321 | $2,680,210 | $4,768,059 | $2,087,849 |
| 32. Sports camp | $725,324 | $374,719 | $788,310 | $413,591 |
| 33. Ghost Groups | $512,024 | $204,408 | $606,206 | $401,798 |
| 34. Debt service, lease, rent | $23,822,661 | $23,882,312 | $22,395,628 | -$1,486,684 |
| 35. Direct overhead, admin. | $9,327,264 | $12,655,492 | $14,577,963 | $1,922,471 |
| 36. Indirect institutional support | $3,560,034 | $2,991,279 | $2,621,236 | -$370,043 |
| 37. Medical Expenses, Insurance | $3,022,769 | $7,689,965 | $4,028,239 | -$3,661,726 |
| 38. Membership Fees | $160,549 | $377,565 | $327,931 | -$49,634 |
| 39. Meals | $854,409 | $775,044 | $918,301 | $143,257 |
| 40. Other expenses | $17,356,340 | $11,814,678 | $18,502,145 | $6,687,467 |
| 41. Bowl Cost | $2,921,416 | $4,212,006 | $7,292,345 | $3,080,339 |
| business expenses | $173,141,125 | $170,191,728 | $195,881,911 | $25,690,183 |
| BENEFIT | $16,141,424 | $9,608,681 | $18,483,446 | $8,874,765 |