Ohio State University has been named as the most valuable college athletic programme at an estimated US$1.32 billion, according to a new ranking from CNBC.
Ohio State won because it made the most money of any school in 2023—US$280 million. In addition, the Buckeyes have over 600,000 alumni, over 11 million fans, boosters who contributed close to US$60 million in 2023, and a football team that draws crowds of over 100,000 to games.
The top five Southeastern Conference (SEC) universities are Texas A&M University (US$1.26 billion), University of Michigan (US$1.06 billion), and University of Alabama (US$978 million). Together, they are valued at over US$13.3 billion, or roughly US$832 million each school.
Amid rumored interest from private investors, CNBC listed the top 75 collegiate sporting programs. Its ranking was restricted to institutions that compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which frequently draws elite players, and it did not include military academies.
