MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia’s athletic department ranked 37th nationally in overall revenue in the 2017-18 school year, according to data published by USA Today Monday.
WVU produced $102,684,423 in revenue, which was a decrease from the $110.5 million produced by the department the previous year. However, it was still more than enough to cover the program’s $91,807,281 in expenses.
The Mountaineers ranked fourth in revenue among the Big 12’s public institutions. Texas was the league and national leader with more than $219 million in overall revenue. The Longhorns are one of only three programs surpassing the $200 million mark, joined by Texas A&M and Ohio State.
Oklahoma was seventh nationally with more than $175 million. Kansas ($106.3 million) is also ahead of WVU at 33rd nationally. Data was unavailable for Baylor and TCU, both of which are private schools.
A $3 million decrease in ticket revenue from the previous year was one factor in West Virginia’s decline. The 2017 football schedule featured six home games. The Mountaineers opened the year with a neutral-site game against Virginia Tech, and played five Big 12 road games, as they do every odd-numbered year. WVU had seven home games in 2016.
Contributions also came down after setting record levels in 2016-17. Donors provided $34,599,908 to the athletic department in 2016-17, but that total dropped to $29,903,164 in 2017-18. WVU received $33,485,350 in donations in 2015-16 and $25,887,300 in 2014-15.
Viewed with a wider lens, the numbers still demonstrate the importance of West Virginia’s move to the Big 12 in 2012-13.
In 2011-12, WVU’s final year in the Big East, the Mountaineers produced $60.45 million in revenue. The same year, Big East rival UConn was the wealthier program with $63.56 million in revenue. Languishing in the American Athletic Conference in 2017-18, UConn made $79,308,421 in revenue compared to $80,905,645 in expenses. The Huskies are leaving the AAC after this year to join the reconfigured Big East and play as an independent in football.
Big 12 athletic revenue and expenses, 2017-18*
| Revenue | Expenses | |
| Texas | $219,402,579 | $206,554,432 |
| Oklahoma | $175,325,500 | $152,674,475 |
| Kansas | $106,307,326 | $104,108,072 |
| West Virginia | $102,684,423 | $91,807,281 |
| Texas Tech | $89,259,783 | $88,948,721 |
| Iowa State | $88,753,664 | $88,670,048 |
| Oklahoma State | $88,516,367 | $88,228,667 |
| Kansas State | $86,911,309 | $77,633,258 |
*Data unavailable for Baylor and TCU
Source: USA Today