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[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Mr. Man
Division I football lose money? Ha, that's a good one. At You Dubyah-Madison, the football program basically funds the entire athletic department and then some.

Here's what a little research found (and I don't feel like doing more):

• •Football is the I-A moneymaker. Nearly two-thirds of all I-A football programs showed a profit in 2001, and the sport — by far — produced the most revenue (a median of $1.7 million).
  
  •Growing gap between haves and have-nots. Schools already investing the most in football, ranking in the top 10% in expenses, stepped up their spending the most (by 46% from 1993 to 2001). The bottom quarter of I-A, based on spending, increased expenditures by a more modest 23%. The trend was similar in basketball. There's also a huge disparity in football profits, with programs in the top 10% averaging $13.3 million in net revenue in 2000-01 and the bottom quarter losing an average of $1 million.
  
  •Few programs are self-sufficient. Two of every five I-A athletics programs said they operated in the black in 2001. But take away state and school subsidies, and only 6% were profitable.