Sen. Elizabeth Warren, "It's obscene!"

[ProfessorGAC]

26. Sort Of

The big programs do make money. But, there are lots of schools where the football program turns just enough profit to pay for the other sports which do not make revenue, so the athletic department as a whole is a cost center, not a profit center.

You're statement that they rarely break even is correct, but that relates to entire athletic budgets, not just football. Football is a huge money maker for many schools, and a decent money maker for others, but when you start adding in the costs for baseball, women's softball, volleyball, track and field, cross country, etc., the excess gets used up pretty fast.