Economic impact of a future college football program

This study is a summary of our report that measured the potential economic impact of a football program that the University of South Alabama was considering developing at the Division 1-A level. In our study, direct expenditures impact is limited to net additional expenditures that are expected to be generated by the new football program. Direct expenditures impact has three components: (a) expenditures by visitors to home games, excluding expenditures made by visiting team athletes, coaches, cheerleaders, band members, and their family members that are likely reciprocated when the home team visits opponents; (b) expenditures by the athletic department on operating the football program from which the amount of ticket sales and concession sales made to county residents is subtracted; and (c) expenditures by increased enrollment including athletes, cheerleaders, band members, and other support group members. The employment impact and the tax impact of the new football program are also presented.