Mercer County spent $3,111,749 on men’s collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 14% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
This translates to roughly 29.8% of all spending for sports teams at the two universities in the county during the 2023 season.
The average sports expenses at Mercer County have grown 148.2% since 2010.
College football is one of the biggest sports in the U.S., with some college teams eclipsing NFL teams in terms of attendance and profit.
In 2022, after a decades-long fight, student athletes nationwide gained the right to profit from their names, likenesses, and images as a result of a flurry of new state laws and an NCAA policy change.
Men’s Football Team’s Expenditures in Mercer County in Last 5 Years
| Year | Football Team’s Expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $3,111,749 | 29.8% |
| 2022 | $2,729,265 | 29% |
| 2021 | $1,233,290 | 23.1% |
| 2020 | $1,245,398 | 23% |
| 2019 | $1,216,631 | 22.9% |
