Colorado rallied to beat Nebraska in overtime in Week Two while smashing the Folsom Field cash record.
With the receipts tallied and books closed, the Buffaloes provided the Hotline with an official count from the Cornhuskers’ first visit since Colorado joined the Pac-12:
The Buffs collected $3.5 million in revenue from the game, effectively doubling the previous school record.
Oregon’s appearance in Boulder in 2015 generated $1.8 million in game-day revenue, while Utah’s visit in 2016 — with the division title at stake — produced a tick under $1.8 million.
The windfall from the Nebraska game was due, in large part, to Cornhuskers fans gobbling up available tickets and making the trip to Boulder.
According to CU, ticket sales were responsible for $2.7 million — and that’s just from single-game sales; revenue from season tickets isn’t allocated on a per-game basis.
Additionally, the Buffaloes took in $700,000 in concessions (a typical game is $388,000) and $66,000 in merchandise sales (typical: $55,000).
Key point: Parking isn’t included in athletic department revenue; it’s handled by campus.
But if you assume a low-six figure total for parking and whatever indirect unallocated benefits the game-day experience produced (donations, season-ticket sales), then the total income for the university is pushing $4 million.
It’s like these teams are rivals or something. — Jon Wilner.
