To the victors go the spoils.
And for IU Athletics, a national championship football season has meant a dramatic spike in department revenues.
“Our revenue generation is at a level right now that I only dreamed about,” IU AD Scott Dolson said on IBJ’s Off the Record Podcast.
“Across the board — (athletics) fundraising, ticket sales, fundraising across the entire university, sponsorship sales, everything has skyrocketed. It’s been great.”
The Athletic also recently reported applications have grown at IU by more than 9.3 percent each of the last two years as the school experiences a football-inspired revival.
But it all comes with a catch.
Dolson says department expenses have risen dramatically as well as IU attempts to capitalize on the football-mania in Bloomington.
“I (also) never dreamed the expenses would be going up at the rate they’re going,” he said. “So, you know, it’s still challenging.”
The rising expenses hinder IU’s desire to reinvest the revenue growth into the future of the football program, including stadium enhancements.
The department is currently moving forward with renovations to the aging Memorial Stadium, things like bathrooms, concession areas and infrastructure. But a massive cosmetic overhaul similar to the Assembly Hall project completed in 2016 will take more resources, and the department is currently seeking a lead donor to spearhead those efforts.
Dolson’s full length sit-down interview with the IBJ is below.
Video via Off the Record podcast.
For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.
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