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USA Today
an hour ago
- Business
- USA Today
The Athletic ranks college football programs by valuation. Where is Ohio State?
It's not there yet, but college football is getting closer and closer to the model of professional franchises. And while programs will likely never be privately owned and sold on the open marketplace, the emphasis on name, image and likeness, the transfer portal, direct revenue payments to players, and the ballooning costs and revenue mean you could theoretically place a price tag on each college football program. That's exactly what Matt Baker of The Athletic attempted to do when looking at every FBS program and what they would be worth in the open market of fair trade and value. At this point, we all know that Ohio State is one of the biggest brands out there when it comes to college football, and Baker's results reflect that. But before we get there, it's important to note the methodology used in valuating college football programs to see how Baker arrived at his list. We'll spare you the full details, but the Cliff Notes version is based on transactions in real-life of professional teams, all while factoring in "everything from prestige and championships to facility renovations, population trends and realignment scenarios." In other words, it's an opinion piece based on a squishy set of numbers, but you get the idea. There's simply no way to tell what a college football program would sell for because there's no precedent and because there likely never will be. However, you can bet that the usual suspects would likely command high dollar vs. the others out there. So, after crunching all of the numbers and using the other factors, Baker has Ohio State valued at $1.9 billion, which is good enough for No. 3 on the highest artificially valued college football programs. You might be asking then, what two programs are ahead of rabidness and reach of the Buckeyes, and that would be Texas at No. 1 ($2.38 billion), followed by Georgia at No. 2 ($1.92 billion), just ahead of OSU. Rounding out the top ten behind those three are No. 4 Notre Dame ($1.85 billion), No. 5 Michigan ($1.83 billion), No. 6 Alabama ($1.74 billion), No. 7 Oklahoma ($1.49 billions), No. 8 USC ($1.4 billion), No. 9 Tennessee ($1.37 billion), and No. 10 LSU ($1.23 billion) I get the Texas argument. The Longhorns have a huge following in a football-rich state, but I don't for one moment believe Georgia would be sold for more money than the massive brand that is Ohio State. No way, no how. I think Texas and Ohio State are the two biggest names out there that could pull in the most merchandising, fan support, and money opportunities available -- if this were a real thing. I'd even argue that OSU would be bigger than Texas, but that's an argument that can have merits either way. These valuation rankings go well beyond a top ten. If you are interested in looking at the rest of them and forming your own opinions, we welcome you to head on over to The Athletic and check it all out. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
Where LSU football ranks among most valuable programs in college football
LSU football was ranked inside the top 10 of college football program valuations by The Athletic's Matt Baker. He analyzed how much Power Four teams would sell for as if they were professional franchises. The Tigers checked in at No. 10 nationally and No. 6 in the SEC with a projected price of $1.23 billion. The team rakes in $102.9 million in revenue on average annually. "Although we'd value the Tigers somewhere below the Texas-Alabama tier but above the Tennessees and Oklahomas, their average football revenue was only 13th nationally. LSU's overall athletic department revenue was in the 8-10 range, which gave us more confidence in our ranking and price," Baker said. As the landscape of college football continues to evolve, athletic departments will continue to search for additional revenue sources to fund expanded operations related to compensating players. 2024 was the first year the NCAA permitted schools to have advertisements on the field during football games. LSU recently sought approval from the NCAA to sell jersey patch advertisements for its uniforms of each sport and projects "multiple millions of dollars a year" in revenue. Here are the top 10 program valuations among Power Four college football teams.
USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
Where does Texas A&M rank in The Athletic's projected selling prices?
In this new era of collegiate athletics, financial stability and potential future investments have become the blueprint for success, more than ever before. That testament was the formula for a recent powerhouse ranking by The Athletic. The site's list, which features 11 SEC programs in the top 25, predicts the top selling values of college football teams across the country. Senior writer Matt Baker had much to say about Texas A&M's investment into the school's football program in Bryan-College Station, Texas. "Though Texas A&M just missed our $1 billion club, it's easy to envision a few Aggies boosters artificially boosting the price to brag about spending 10 figures on their team." In Baker's hypothetical list, the Aggies rank as No. 15 with $97.3 million average football revenue and a projected price of $973 million. Of the 12 conference programs mentioned, Texas A&M ranks No. 9. Here is the full list of the SEC teams' projected selling prices, according to Baker: While this list is filled with hypothetical measurements and numbers, it does contain some truth behind the veil. It is no secret that the Aggies are one of the top-spending programs in the country. According to a recent On3 Sports' poll, Texas A&M tied the Miami Hurricanes at No. 5 as the top spenders in college football heading into the 2025 campaign. The money spent has yet to translate to the gridiron, however. Head coach Mike Elko is entering his second year leading the Aggies after achieving the program's first season with eight wins or more since 2021. Elko and company seem to be placing Texas A&M back on the right track, but there is still much work to be done in College Station. There is plenty of blame to be passed around for the results over recent years, none of which should include the current Aggie regime. With a top 25 portal class, the return of all starting offensive linemen from 2024 and a talented sophomore quarterback in Marcel Reed at the helm, Baker's additional comments on the Texas A&M narrative could soon change. "The Aggies have the rabid fan base and demographic upside to be higher. Money has also never been an issue at a program that paid Jimbo Fisher the biggest buyout in college football history (about $77 million). But we're also considering wins and losses because of the money victories bring," Baker said. "Texas A&M is arguably the nation's biggest underachiever with only four top-five finishes and one national title (1939) since the Associated Press poll began in 1936 and zero conference titles since 1998." Time will tell if the ship can be turned around with Elko leading the Aggies into a new campaign in 40 days. If the program can reach the playoffs this year, the argument can be made for Texas A&M to be much higher on this list. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
How much is Florida football's program worth? The Athletic ranks FBS teams by valuation
College football is a big business these days. In fact, the sport is among the biggest cash printers out there when it comes to the entertainment industry, creating billions of dollars of revenue every year. With NIL now here and the collegiate gridiron turned into a de facto professional league, one might wonder how much each school's program is worth as a whole — like how pro sports franchises have a value based on the fiscal aspects of the entity. The Athletic's Matt Baker attempted to answer this query in his rankings of every Power 4 team by how much they'd sell for, in which he put together some numbers based on what we know about the business side of these operations. Of course, he offers the following caveat: "Do not take our numbers to the bank, literally or metaphorically. Instead, consider this a fun attempt at blending back-of-the-envelope math with common sense to price college programs like their professional peers — an exercise that's theoretical for now … but might not be much longer," Baker warns. So, where do the Florida Gators stand in these data? Florida football's valuation, ranking per The Athletic According to Baker's math, the Gators are the 12th most-valuable program in the country and seventh most-valuable in the Southeastern Conference. "The Gators are also pursuing a major stadium upgrade that would significantly change the revenue picture; in January, the chairperson of the university's board of trustees publicly floated a $1 billion price tag for the project," he offers. It is also noted that Florida's average annual football revenue is $98.5 million. However, Baker's counterpoint has been a source of agony for the Orange and Blue faithful. "Florida's downside remains its on-field product. USC is the only other program in our top 12 that has never made the College Football Playoff, and the Gators have suffered through four consecutive seasons without finishing ranked." SEC schools among top-30-ranked program values A full dozen of the conference's 16 member schools cracked the top 30 of The Athletic's college football program valuations, with the Gators sitting near the midpoint at No. 7 among SEC programs. The Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs occupy the two top spots in the league as well as overall, respectively, while the Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 6 overall, No. 3 in SEC), Oklahoma Sooners (No. 7 overall, No. 4 in SEC), Tennessee Volunteers (No. 9 overall, No. 5 in SEC) and LSU Tigers (No. 10 overall, No. 6 in SEC) round out the top 10. After Florida follow the Auburn Tigers (No. 13 overall, No. 8 in SEC), Texas A&M Aggies (No. 15 overall, No. 9 in SEC), Arkansas Razorbacks (No. 23 overall, No. 10 in SEC), Ole Miss Rebels (No. 25 overall, No. 11 in SEC) and South Carolina Gamecocks (No. 257 overall, No. 12 in SEC). NCAA FBS program valuation projections top 30 rankings Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Five things to know about Gabriel House owner Dennis Etzkorn
Related : 'Our thoughts are with every one of our residents, their families, our staff, and the brave first responders,' the statement said. 'I am grateful for the support the city of Fall River has shown to everyone affected by this tragedy.' Here's what we know about Etzkorn: Advertisement Etzkorn has owned Gabriel House for over 20 years Gabriel House opened in 1999 on the site of a former motel, according to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging and Independence. State filings show that Etzkorn has been president and sole director of the house's operator, a company called Gabriel Care, since at least 2000. Eztkorn owns and operates other facilities, according to state filings and Related : Three months ago, he said in a LinkedIn post that he was searching for a mental health care professional to 'start a new mental healthcare clinic' in Fall River. Advertisement Etzkorn is a native of Oklahoma and a graduate of Oklahoma State University, according to his LinkedIn. He currently lives in Medfield, town records show. He has a history of political contributions Etzkorn has made campaign contributions to several candidates and groups, according to state filings. His donation history includes Republican governors Mitt Romney and Charlie Baker, as well as several Democratic state lawmakers. Most recently, he made a $100 contribution to the Republican State Committee in 2021. His political contributions drew public attention in 2014, when then-candidate Baker attended a fundraiser hosted by Etzkorn's wife, Baker said at the time that his campaign would not deposit a check collected from the Etzkorns, per the report, after it emerged that Dennis Etzkorn had previously been indicted for Medicaid fraud. Etzkorn was charged with illegally paying for MassHealth client referrals In 2012, Prosecutors said the alleged scheme generated 'in excess of $2 million improperly procured,' according to court records. However, Superior Court judges ruled on two separate occasions that Attorney General Martha Coakley's office had obtained some financial records improperly. After prosecutors were barred from using those documents in their case, the kickback charges against Etzkorn were dropped. A court ruled he wrongfully fired a Gabriel House employee after a workplace dispute In another court case, Etzkorn was found to have wrongly fired a female worker at Gabriel House in 2010 when she spoke up in support of a co-worker who was facing disciplinary action, records show. Advertisement According to Bristol Superior Court records, Etzkorn and the managers of Gabriel House wanted health care professionals to sign noncompete agreements. The employee told co-workers that such agreements were illegal and was fired after she vowed to testify on behalf of a co-worker if necessary, according to the records. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination ruled in 2019 that Etzkorn had retaliated against the employee, records show. Etzkorn challenged the decision in Bristol Superior Court, but the judgment against him was affirmed. He was ordered to pay the woman $17,500 in lost income, $20,000 in damages, and $25,552 in attorney's fees at 12 percent interest. Etzkorn's communication with Fall River mayor has been intermittent, according to mayor Etzkorn did not return calls from Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan on Monday or Tuesday, the first two days after the fire, according to the mayor. But Etzkorn came to Coogan's City Hall office on Wednesday, Coogan said. Coogan said he 'This was two days out, and he's the owner of that property,' Coogan said Friday. 'He should have been in constant contact with us.' Since Wednesday, Coogan said he has been exchanging messages with Etzkorn. Material from previous Globe coverage was used. Camilo Fonseca can be reached at
