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Sorry, I'm just catching the end of this conversation. Hope you don't mind if I interject.
Don't remember where I saw the article, but TxState is funding the football program I think 9mil and change next year. That's a big jump and will go up again as they start WAC play.
The program for sure loses a ton of money. It is baseline funded at nearly the same rate as many years ago. The additional money comes from a fee assessment on students (they voted for it) to support the move to FBS.
I read an article (don't know if I could find it again) right after UT signed their new TV deal explaining that something like fewer than 50 programs in the country make a profit. Only a handful make enough to fund all other sports, and maybe half a dozen made enough to return any support to other university needs. Programs that make money tend to be a regional draw that would not support an NFL team, but serve the same market. Places like Austin, Alabama, Ohio State, etc.
In terms of enrollment vs money. TxState endured budget cuts by massively increasing enrollment. The trend in the economic downturn has been from 1st tier (UT/A&M) to cheaper 2nd tier (TxState) schools. They've massively increased enrollment from something like 12k to 32k in a decade. That money has sustained them. But they're supposed to be capped at 30k (so as not to compete with 1st tiers, and because they city wants more road money based on enrollment), so now they're talking about reducing enrollment while facing a 10% budget cut. And, because of the rapid enrollment increase, they're heavily overcrowded and under staffed. So, no matter what, it's going to hurt.
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