Tuesday, Forbes released a list of the 25 most valuable teams in college football and both the University of Alabama and Auburn University made the top ten.
The rankings were compiled by averaging annual revenue and profit from the last three available seasons – 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Alabama was ranked fourth, with average revenue of $127 million and profit of $59 million.
“Alabama actually ranks just 10th in team profit, since no other program comes close to matching the Crimson Tide in spending: Alabama football spends an average $68 million per year, a staggering 22% more than any other team in the nation,” Forbes noted.
Auburn came in at number eight on the elite list, with average revenue of $112 million and profit of $61 million.
This is the first time Forbes has ranked college football teams since 2015, when Alabama ranked eighth and Auburn tenth.
On the spending side, the publication’s 2015 edition explained that teams like Alabama and Auburn are continually investing in their respective program’s success, which has become expensive in modern times.
Between facility costs, extravagant game-day operations, staffing, recruiting expenses and scholarships, the programs are reinvesting revenue to ensure longevity.
Only Texas A&M and Texas averaged more revenue than Alabama, with Michigan tying the Capstone.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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