Like, Dislike or Neutral: UGA football is the model

I'm not a Georgia fan, never have been.  However, I respect them and I'm not here to speak for anyone else but the numbers that the program puts up financially are staggering.

Great peice by Tim Ticker of the AJC today.  A few of the highlights:

• UGA projects that football ticket sales will generate about $17.4 million in revenue this fiscal year, compared to $1.36 million in ticket sales for all other sports combined.
• The $17.4 million does not include the donations made to the Athletic Association's "Hartman Fund" for, basically, ticket-buying priority.
• After Georgia finished No. 2 in the nation in the 2007 season, those donations spiked to a record $26.1 million in 2008. They have declined each of the past two years, to $23.3 million in 2009 and $22.8 million this year.
• Despite consecutive disappointing football seasons even before this one, the UGA Athletic Association hasn't missed a beat financially. The budget for the current fiscal year projects revenue will remain flat at about $84.75 million, the vast majority of which is attributable to football.
• For the fiscal year that ended June 30, the board was told that the Athletic Association had $8 million more in revenue than expenditures and stashed the surplus into reserves that now stand at a hefty $68.3 million.
• The board also was told that the ongoing expansion of the Butts-Mehre football headquarters building will cost $33 million, or $6.5 million less than the board had authorized.

Get it.  Football is important and allows the university to whatever they like.  Check the last bullet.  Yep, under budget on a building project by nearly 20%.  That's call great project management. Credit and Respect where it is due.