How FSU is preparing to manage increased cost of college athletics
Florida State University's athletics program projects spending over $250 million by the 2027 fiscal year as rising operational costs and revenue-sharing obligations place financial pressure on the department. Athletic Director Michael Alford presented the budget outlook to the Board of Trustees, highlighting reliance on auxiliary funding to avoid cutting sports programs. Despite the increased spending, FSU still trails the average budgets of Big Ten and SEC schools, which exceed $255 million, as the ACC lags in revenue distribution.
- ▪Florida State athletics is projected to spend over $250 million by the 2027 fiscal year, up from $208 million in 2025.
- ▪The $22.5 million revenue-sharing payments to student athletes are currently covered by auxiliary funding approved by the Florida Board of Governors through 2028.
- ▪FSU has not cut any athletic programs, unlike some Power 4 schools such as Arkansas, which recently eliminated its tennis teams.
- ▪Cutting a single athletic program at FSU could save over $4 million annually, according to internal projections.
- ▪Big Ten and SEC schools are projected to have average athletic budgets exceeding $255 million by 2027, widening the gap with ACC schools like FSU.
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