Boise State no. 64 in USA Today revenue release

This news really hit the wire yesterday, but we're talking about it today.

Finances. Specifically college finances.

The USA Today released the rankings of 231 different schools for the 2014-15 year, what their total revenue was, expenditures, subsidy, and subsidy percentage (subsidies are the dollars that the "academic" side has to pitch in, i.e., student fees). If you want to find out how the USA Today compiled their findings check here.

And where does Boise State end up? Ok, I suppose.

Overall Boise State ended up no. 64 at $43,858,018 in revenue. Which is good enough for fourth in the Mountain West Conference. Air Force is number one with $50,191,669 and Nevada is last with $26,954,582. Texas A&M, who came in at no. 1 overall, brought in $192,608,876 with no subsidies at all. Washington State had the lowest of the Power 5 revenue with $54,112,604 and needed $6,112,056 worth of subsidy.

As far as the amount of subsidies are concerned, the Broncos have the second least in the MWC with the academic side only having to pitch in 28.34%. Air Force clocks in with the most subsidized dollars with a healthy 67.9%. New Mexico chips in the least subsidies to the athletic side at 26.56%. Interestingly enough Alabama, apparently, needed some dollars kicked in as they had $2,616,895 in subsidies.

Ideally, of course, you do not necessarily want to have subsidies. You do not want to have a portion of the student fees having to buoy a program in order stay viable.

In terms of Boise State growth, you can see that the Broncos have been steadily growing over the past ten years (photo taken from the USA Today article):

Which is vastly important. In ten years the Broncos have been able to steadily grow from $16.9 million to (2014 high) $45.7 million.

What is striking is that the ticket sales have gone down below 2012 levels for a year coming off a Fiesta Bowl win.

Possibly evidence that the late night games are starting to take their toll. Or that, perhaps, the ticket prices themselves are starting to become an issue for the fan base.

Either case puts the administration between a rock and a hard place. Give up the exposure that ESPN guarantees, or give up the ticket sales. Give in on lower ticket prices, or risk not being able to spend the needed money to continue to compete.

While the chasm of the Power 5 and Group of 5 continues to grow, the Broncos being able to keep up will continue to be difficult. Hopefully with continued success on the football field, the revenue will continue to grow proportionately.