SE Texas Times

Jefferson County spent $5,052,565 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 18.8% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 22.9% of all spending for sports teams at the two universities in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Jefferson County have grown 110.3% 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.

Year	Football Team's Expenditures	% from grand total sport team expenditures
2023	$5,052,565	22.9%
2022	$4,254,695	21.7%
2021	$3,924,023	22.6%
2020	$4,606,798	23.6%
2019	$4,300,112	22.4%