Boise State Athletics Lost How Much During The Pandemic?!

Games being canceled and crowd sizes being reduced in 2021 due to COVID-19 resulted in the Boise State athletic department generating $12 million less than it was supposed to in revenue. The department is now operating at a deficit for the first time in nearly six years, back in 2016.

From June 2020 to June 2021, Boise State made $39,520.578. However, during that same time, it spent $40,126,524 yielding a deficit of $605,946, according to the annual revenue report submitted by the University to the NCAA and Idaho State Board of Education.

The athletic department reportedly received roughly $9.2 million in COVID-19 support in 2021, but BSU took its biggest hit in ticket sales.

Boise State ended up playing seven games in the 2020 season, after falling to San Jose State in the Mountain West Championship Game and not playing a bowl game, a decision voted on by players.

Due to crowd restrictions in 2020, roughly 1,100 fans, along with the school's band and spirit squad, were allowed to attend two home games. That really hurt the budget.

However, football wasn't the only sport to feel the sting, at the University.  Ticket sales for men's basketball went from $1.3 million to just $53,154 in 2020. I didn't misplace the comma. The University's now defunct baseball team took a hit, as well.

On the bright side, the football team averaged 34,681 fans at their home games last season. That ranks second in program history. That's a positive sign going forward and should mean tickets will sell this year. I'm excited to go to games and root on the Broncos.