Springfield Standard

Polk County spent $1,888,050 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 29.3% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 28.7% of all spending for sports teams at the Southwest Baptist University, the only institution in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Polk County have grown 37.8% 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	$1,888,050	28.7%
2022	$1,460,693	22.4%
2021	$1,566,149	19.5%
2020	$1,589,197	20.2%
2019	$1,608,040	20%