Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey on Thursday announced that roughly $651 million of revenue was divided among the league’s 14 universities for the 2018-19 fiscal year, which ended Aug. 31.
The average amount each school received was $44.6 million.
“The revenue distributed through the Southeastern Conference enables our 14 member universities to provide unparalleled support to their student-athletes through superior instruction, training, equipment, academic counseling, medical care, mental health and wellness support, and life-skills development,” Sankey said through a release. “It is this sustained conference-wide commitment to the student-athlete experience that makes this conference sound and its impact so meaningful.”
According to the league, the total distribution amount comprises revenue generated from television agreements, bowl games, the College Football Playoff, the SEC football championship, the SEC men’s basketball tournament, NCAA championships and a supplemental surplus distribution.
The distribution amount does not include approximately $7.8 million of NCAA and SEC grants divided among the 14 institutions.
Once again, the SEC set a new financial standard, topping the $627.1 million distributed in 2017-18. The average per-school distribution increased to $44.6 million from $43.1 million.
“These distributions provide each university the opportunity to make a positive impact on their respective campuses in ways unique to each institution,” Sankey said. “Past uses of this revenue on our campuses have included participation in the construction and renovation of academic facilities, support of academic scholarship opportunities, funding of academic programs and direct transfers of funds to support academic budgets.”
Georgia the new No. 1
Daijun Edwards, a 5-foot-10, 201-pound running back from Moultrie, Georgia, committed Thursday to Georgia’s 2020 signing class. Edwards, who visited Athens last weekend after visiting Arkansas on Jan. 17, is rated by 247Sports.com as the nation’s No. 21 running back and the No. 279 prospect overall.
The commitment of Edwards vaulted the Bulldogs past Alabama and into the No. 1 spot in the 247Sports.com team rankings. The traditional national signing day for college football is next Wednesday.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.