Penobscot County spent $5,427,818 on men’s collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 10.4% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
This translates to roughly 17.6% of all spending for sports teams at the two universities in the county during the 2023 season.
The average sports expenses at Penobscot County have dropped 4.3% since 2010.
College football is one of the biggest sports in the U.S., with some college teams eclipsing NFL teams in terms of attendance and profit.
In 2022, after a decades-long fight, student athletes nationwide gained the right to profit from their names, likenesses, and images as a result of a flurry of new state laws and an NCAA policy change.
Men’s Football Team’s Expenditures in Penobscot County in Last 5 Years
| Year | Football Team’s Expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $5,427,818 | 17.6% |
| 2022 | $4,915,810 | 17.9% |
| 2021 | $3,577,853 | 18.9% |
| 2020 | $4,969,922 | 21.8% |
| 2019 | $4,729,385 | 20.5% |
