The Great Divide: Examining Football Revenue among FBS Schools

Abstract

The focus of this study is to examine the dispersion of football-generated revenue amongst Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams. This article seeks to determine if parity exists in the ability of all college football teams to generate revenue, and to determine the impact on the competitive balance of the sport. The results of this study indicate that there is a major stratification among affiliation status (automatic qualifying versus non-automatic qualifying) and within conferences. Further, the data indicates a cycle of inequity in college football. This study quantifies the perception of inequality and recommends means to correct or control this disparity moving forward.