The Athletic Department deficit has nothing to do with Kelly, Kiffin,Jay- salaries/buyouts

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LSU President Wade Rousse told the state Board of Regents on Tuesday the school’s sports program is projected to carry a $26 million deficit this year.

The program’s shortfall for fiscal year 2025-26 was $44 million, according to LSU spokeswoman Meg Sunstrom. It was the first year in which NCAA Division I programs were allowed to directly compensate student-athletes for their name, image and likeness. Like most Power Four conference schools, LSU spent the maximum amount allowed — $21. 5 million — accounting for the biggest portion of the deficit.

LSU athletics has overspent its budget over the past six years by a total of $177.5 million, Rousse told the Regents at their annual budget hearing for all schools under their purview. The $44 million shortfall was covered by the Tiger Athletic Foundation, Sunstrom said.

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Straightforward summary of the "deficit" from LAIlluminator.

NIL Revenue Sharing is a $21.5 million hit.

TAF makes up the difference in the budget so the athletic department remains self sufficient (as in no public funds towards athletics).

our athletic department has seem to taken the route where they’re not going to cave to every media article that is just a bunch of bullshite. And I agree with that.

I’d be curious to see the deficits all of these other programs are running because for years and years, the LSU athletic department was one of only 10 or so athletic departments in the black.

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LSU AD really does a bad job of emphasizing and getting out there that

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they definitely need a better PR approach in that regard.

being a state university, they have to disclose their books.

and their books show a loss. a big loss

but literally every penny of it earned directly through athletics (tickets, TV money, merchandise, etc) or private funds.

none of it comes from tuition or from the state.

We need a Jeff Landry gif like this

The deficit in AD's everywhere can be explained simply.

Women's sports. There is barely any demand and a frick ton of money driven supply.

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LSU AD really does a bad job of emphasizing and getting out there that -NO state $ is paying any buyout -Big time $ paid to these coaches is from private donors - Outisde roster payments are paid by 3rd parties and not the school or state. I don’t understand why they don’t just send out a memo or tweet bulletin pointing the above

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Because you are missing the point of this.




They are intentionally framing it that way because they are trying to sell people on a new funding structure.


Not just for athletics but to go into research dollars etc.



They wanted everyone at that meeting to come out of it saying “dang this is unsustainable”

I haven't read any of these messages that are stirring people up over this but you are I think correct about the TAF contributions and booster money paying for buyouts, etc. But there are still tons of expenses out there that the AD is paying. It just seems crazy that with the sold out games and tv revenue that they should ever run a deficit. I know that only men's football and basketball make any money and they have to pay for all the other sports but still? What I think is part of the problem is the huge staffs all of these sports have compared to 10 to 20 years ago, let alone in the good old days before 2000.
Even sports that lose money have endless assistant coaches, consultants, a staff member for every task and some that have weird titles and you can't even guess what they do. Director of Player Engagement? Chief Strategy Officer? Not only is there an assistant coach for every position there is an analyst also?