LSU Athletics Financial Report Article

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As revenues continue to rise in major college sports, so have expenses. LSU spent $219.6 million, which was roughly $1 million more than the year before. The highest expenditures came from $82.7 million in combined compensation for coaches, support staff and administration. LSU also spent $27 million on unspecified operating expenses.

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Imagine how much more they would make if they were a winning program.

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Not much, honestly. If they were a Top-30 team they'll see the same TV deal and incremental increases in ticket revenue. That would likely be offset by additional invites to pre-conference matchups nationally.

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Men’s BB continues to be a money maker for LSU Athletics. Imagine how much more they would make if they were a winning program

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Just think about how much money they leave on the table because the arena is 1/4th full all season.

Bama MBB profited almost $10 mill last season, just a few years ago they were in the LSU MBB profit range. Winning is important.

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It doesn't matter all that much

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It does because we're not trying to maximize a profit center.

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It does because we're not trying to maximize a profit center.

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What do you think is a realistic max profit for LSU basketball? Selling 80-90% of our tickets wouldn't add that much more money. Sure it helps but not much. The bigger solution from a purely business standpoint is to quit spending so much on WBB

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What do you think is a realistic max profit for LSU basketball?

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A literal number, not sure, but definitely more than what it is now.

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Selling 80-90% of our tickets wouldn't add that much more money.

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That's more than 50% increase in what it is now. Throw in added concessions and merch and it ain't nothing.

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The bigger solution from a purely business standpoint is to quit spending so much on WBB

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But they're not going to do that to the hall of fame coach they made promises to who has delivered on their promises.

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Not much, honestly. If they were a Top-30 team they'll see the same TV deal and incremental increases in ticket revenue. That would likely be offset by additional invites to pre-conference matchups nationally.

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This is probably somewhat correct.

Alabama is a good comp.

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After an $8.15 million surplus in fiscal year 2022 and $7.76 million in 2023, the Crimson Tide had about a $6 million surplus in 2024, with $21.3 million in revenue while spending $15.3 million.

Alabama men's basketball eclipsed $2 million in travel, coming within about $500,000 of the travel budget for the Crimson Tide football team. Alabama men's basketball made about $3.3 million in ticket sales, received about $2.8 million in contributions and more than $9 million in media rights.

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LSU made around $2M in ticket sales last year. That number will drop this year. But it could EASILY increase be $3M+ with a good program. I agree that the travel expenses could increase, but Alabama is also a bit unique in that Oats chooses to play a very tough non-conf. schedule that features more away/neutral games than most programs. A good program doesn't HAVE to travel a ton if they choose not to. In non-conf play last season Florida only played two games outside of the state of FL. One in Charlotte and one in Atlanta.

That is also ignoring "contributions". Bama last season had nearly $3M in "contributions". LSU could/would get the same with a successful program.

Last year LSU basketball had a $2.5M surplus....and they were the second worst team in the SEC. That number easily jumps to $4M, $5M, maybe $6M if they have a good program.

I may be confused, but didn’t the athletic department use to give the academic side 10-12 million every year?

Is that still the case

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I was more trying to point out that a $3.5 - 4 million increase in a $235 million budget is nice, but doesn't solve all the problems.

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I don't know if anyone was (or at least should have been) arguing that an increase in basketball revenue would solve all budget problems.

I think it was more a sense of the program is not maximizing its earning potential by having such a bad coach/program at the moment.

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The bigger solution from a purely business standpoint is to quit spending so much on WBB

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This. WBB is really a "bad investment" from a pure business sense. Yes, I'm sure the success had created some ancillary benefits. But I don't know if they are enough to outweigh the significant costs of the program.