Idaho Collegiate Budget In Red

It cost three Idaho state universities and Lewis-Clark State College $17.7 million for intercollegiate athletics last year, and between them, the four programs lost $376,936.

A report prepared for Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting in Twin Falls showed that the University of Idaho ran up the biggest deficit last school year, $340,999, and Boise State had the biggest profit from sports, $43,253.

Boise State by far had the biggest income from athletic operations, $7.3 million, and spent the most, $7.26 million. Idaho State took in $4.21 million and spent $4.24 million to wind up $27,829 in the red.

Lewis-Clark, which has no football team, collected $917,883 for athletics last year, spent $969,244 and wound up with a deficit of $51,361.

Each of the school’s revenue reports include state funds. Idaho got the most, $1.365 million, followed by ISU, $1.347 million, Boise State $1.2 million and Lewis-Clark got just under $500,000 in state money.

For the current school year, the four schools project a cumulative deficit of $207,575. Women’s athletics continue to be heavily subsidized. All women’s sports collected $151,081 last year but spent $3.9 million.

The four schools reported 643 males took part in college sports last year, along with 316 women.