Kentucky is Near the Bottom of the SEC in Athletic Donations

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  • Matt Dillon
    Administrator
    • Oct 2014
    • 51743
    #1

    Kentucky is Near the Bottom of the SEC in Athletic Donations

    College sports are a money-making enterprise. In the revenue-sharing era, deep pockets prevail when it’s time to build a roster. Some schools in the SEC have more money to work with thanks to generous donors. It’s an uphill climb for Kentucky against its SEC competition.

    Thanks to open records requests from Al.com’s Matt Stahl, we can see which SEC programs get a financial leg-up thanks to boosters. The only omission from the data is Vanderbilt, a private institution that is not subject to open records laws.

    In 2025, Kentucky received $32,657,330 in athletic donations. That sounds like a lot, but it ranks second-to-last in the SEC, ahead of only South Carolina at $17.5 million. Furthermore, Kentucky was one of only three schools in the SEC that did not receive contributions specifically earmarked for the football program, joining Arkansas and Mississippi State.

    Nine SEC teams received at least $50 million in athletic donations in the 2025 fiscal year. Shockingly, Texas A&M is just over that $50 million threshold, while the Texas Longhorns tripled that. Texas received more than $167 million in athletic donations, with $59.5 million going directly to the football program.

    You are reading that correctly. Texas football received more money in donations than the entire UK Athletics Department.

    Tennessee ranked second in the SEC with $110 million in athletic donations, and more than $50 million to the football program. Oklahoma, Alabama, and LSU round out the top five in the SEC.

    Kentucky is Near the Bottom of the SEC in Athletic Donations - On3
    Philippians 4:11-4:13
    Tags: None
    • Matt Dillon
      Administrator
      • Oct 2014
      • 51743
      #2
      It's easy to see why it's so difficult to have winning fb at Ky.
      Philippians 4:11-4:13

        Comment

        • fastkat
          Senior Member
          • Oct 2014
          • 667
          #3
          Originally posted by Matt Dillon
          It's easy to see why it's so difficult to have winning fb at Ky.
          There's a saying in car racing, "Money=Speed". Just change it to Money=Wins
            👍 1

            Comment

            • largebluej
              Senior Member
              • May 2016
              • 528
              #4
              I question the accuracy of that report, or at least its interpretation. Most of the seats at Kroger Field and nearly all of the permitted parking spots require a K Fund donation on top of the ticket/parking price. How are those not "football donations"? I certainly consider the $400 K Fund markup I pay for my green lot pass each season a football donation.

                Comment

                • Matt Dillon
                  Administrator
                  • Oct 2014
                  • 51743
                  #5
                  Originally posted by largebluej
                  I question the accuracy of that report, or at least its interpretation. Most of the seats at Kroger Field and nearly all of the permitted parking spots require a K Fund donation on top of the ticket/parking price. How are those not "football donations"? I certainly consider the $400 K Fund markup I pay for my green lot pass each season a football donation.
                  Perhaps I took it wrong but, when I read the article, I took it to mean strictly donations. Not money tied to The K Fund or anything like that.
                  Philippians 4:11-4:13

                    Comment

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                    Kentucky is Near the Bottom of the SEC in Athletic Donations

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