Florida football program is most valuable financially in SEC according to Wall Street Journal study
Thursday, January 15, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- If Florida's football program was available to purchase on the open market, say, like the NFL's Buffalo Bills were recently, you better bring a big wallet to the negotiating table.
In the annual valuation of college football programs published by The Wall Street Journal, the Gators are worth more than any team in the Southeastern Conference.
In the latest study by Ryan Brewer, an assistant professor of finance at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus, the Florida football program is valued at more than $815 million.
That figure ranks behind only national champion Ohio State ($1.1 billion), Michigan ($999 million), Texas ($972 million) and Notre Dame ($936 million).
Alabama ($760 million) is ranked seventh and Georgia ($710 million) and LSU ($659 million) also crack the top 10, giving the SEC four of the nation's most valuable programs in financial terms.
Texas had held the top spot for three consecutive years until the Buckeyes dethroned the Longhorns this year.
The study ranked teams from 1 to 116. Louisiana-Monroe checked in last in the study. If $815 million for the Gators is out of your price range, the Warhawks are valued at a more affordable $6.4 million.
