re: 2023 LSU WBB won Natty but lost nearly $8M

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And the LSU athletic department as a whole made frick you money because of its TV deal. Losing $8m is not that big of a deal, especially considering what they are paying Kim.

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What is your basis for saying this? The athletic department generates huge revenues, but I know from work done for LSU and other universities that LSU's athletic department (and most athletic departments) either lose money or make a very modest amount of money. We have made money in the past, but the returns are below market on the revenue invested.

It may be that successful athletic programs drive enrollment and donations to the general fund. So, I suppose what you say is possible in some indirect sense, but I don't know of anyone who has done the math on that. And it's certainly not the case that the athletic program is making a bunch of under-the-table money that we're not reporting.

Generally, schools spend the money because they want to win and raise the school's profile. They're not spending money on coaches and infrastructure because they're going to make a bunch of profit.