College athletics: Football rules

We always knew football ruled collegiate athletics. Then the point was hammered home last summer, when the Big 12 almost disintegrated and proud basketball schools like Kansas, Missouri and Kansas State had no solid landing place.

But in case any skeptics remain, here’s your proof. In the 2009-10 school year, University of Kentucky basketball, with 23,000-seat Rupp Arena and a fan base that ranks as the most passionate in America, made a profit of $5.2 million. Which is very impressive. Make more than $5 million off hoops? Outstanding. Meanwhile, Kentucky football, which probably is the SEC’s ninth- or 10th-most prestigious football program, made $17.98 million.

Those are the figures reported by businessofcollegesports.com.

The 20 most profitable sports in the NCAA are all football: 1. Texas $68.8M; 2. Georgia $52.5M; 3. Penn State $50.4M; 4. Michigan $44.8M; 5. Florida $44.2M; 6. LSU $43.2M; 7. Alabama $40.7M; 8. Tennessee $39.2M; 9. Auburn $38.2M; 10. Oklahoma $38.1M; 11. South Carolina $35.4M; 12. Notre Dame $34.6M; 13. Nebraska $32.0M; 14. Ohio State $31.9M; 15. Iowa $27.3M; 16. Michigan State $26.9M; 17. Arkansas $26.5M; 18. Texas A&M $25.3M; 19. Kentucky $17.9M; 20. Oklahoma State $17.3M.

The only basketball programs in the top 40 are Louisville (21st), Duke (29th), North Carolina (31st), Arizona (33rd) and Ohio State (34rd).

OU basketball checked in at 93rd, with $2.9 million profit. OSU basketball checked in at No. 100, with $2.6 million profit.

So here are the rankings for Big 12 football profits: 1. Texas; 2. OU; 3. Texas A&M; 4. OSU; 5. Missouri ($11.6M); 6. Texas Tech ($11.5M); 7. Iowa State $6.6M; 8. Kansas State $6.4M; 9. Baylor $1.8M; 10. Kansas $1.6M.

And here are the rankings for Big 12 basketball profits: 1. Texas $6.7M; 2. Kansas $5.1M; 3. Missouri $4.1M; 4. OU $2.9M; 5. Texas A&M $2.8M; 6. Iowa State $2.6M; 7. OSU $2.6M; 8. Kansas State $2.1M; 9. Texas Tech $1.6M; 10. Baylor ($92,000 in the hole).