Forbes has named the top 20 most profitable college basketball programs in America. Three of those 20 programs are coached by present or former Xavier coaches. The Muskies are the 17th most profitable program in the nation. We are the only BE program in the top 20. The other 19 are all from the Power 5 conferences, mostly from the B10 and ACC.
The list is below:
1. Louisville Cardinals
Current Value: $36.1 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 39%
Basketball Profit: $23.2 million
Conference: Big East
Head Coach: Rick Pitino
2. North Carolina Tar Heels
Current Value: $29.6 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 2%
Basketball Profit: $17.9 million
Conference: ACC
Head Coach: Roy Williams
3. Kansas Jayhawks
Current Value: $28.2 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 18%
Basketball Profit: $17.7 million
Conference: Big 12
Head Coach: Bill Self
4. Duke Blue Devils
Current Value: $25 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 52%
Basketball Profit: $15.1 million
Conference: ACC
Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski
5. Kentucky Wildcats
Current Value: $24.4 million
Two-Year Change in Value: -7%
Basketball Profit: $15.4 million
Conference: SEC
Head Coach: John Calipari
6. Indiana Hoosiers
Current Value: $23.2 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 13%
Basketball Profit: $15.6 million
Conference: Big Ten
Head Coach: Tom Crean
7. Ohio State Buckeyes
Current Value: $21.9 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 20%
Basketball Profit: $13.8 million
Conference: Big Ten
Head Coach: Thad Matta
8. Arizona Wildcats
Current Value: $18.3 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 10%
Basketball Profit: $11.3 million
Conference: Pac-12
Head Coach: Sean Miller
9. Syracuse Orange
Current Value: $17.7 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 4%
Basketball Profit: $11.5 million
Conference: Big East
Head Coach: Jim Boeheim
10. Wisconsin Badgers
Current Value: $17.2 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 5%
Basketball Profit: $10 million
Conference: Big Ten
Head Coach: Bo Ryan
11. UCLA Bruins
Current Value: $16.4 million
Two-Year Change in Value: -2.4%
Basketball Profit: $8.9 million
Conference: Pac-12
Head Coach: Ben Howland
12. Maryland Terrapins
Current Value: $16.1 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 4%
Basketball Profit: $10.6 million
Conference: ACC
Head Coach: Mark Turgeon
13. Illinois Fighting Illini
Current Value: $15.8 million
Two-Year Change in Value: -24%
Basketball Profit: $9.8 million
Conference: Big Ten
Head Coach: Bruce Weber
14. Texas Longhorns
Current Value: $14.6 million
Two-Year Change in Value: N/A*
Basketball Profit: $8.2 million
Conference: Big 12
Head Coach: Rick Barnes
15. Michigan State Spartans
Current Value: $14.4 million
Two-Year Change in Value: 10%
Basketball Profit: $7.2 million
Conference: Big Ten
Head Coach: Tom Izzo
16. Minnsota $9.6 million
17. Xavier Musketeers
Current Value: $12.9 million
Two-Year Change in Value: -10%
Basketball Profit: $7.3 million
Conference: A-10
Head Coach: Chris Mack
18. Tennessee $6.9 million
19. Pittsburgh $6.4 million
20. Purdue $6.4 million
Indiana at #6 is a real surprise. Until last year they have had several bad years in a row.
This indicates the so called P 5 conferences are all ready in a position to leave the NCAA tournament should they wish. With this profitability and the conference income already shown in my previous conference topic post (Top 8 Conferences in Income 2014) a Power 5 basketball tourney would be an immense financial success. Hopefully that will not happen however the way they are acting with their autonomy and increased spending proposals I think they are after as much money as they can get.
NOTE: THE ABOVE LIST IS FROM 2012 THE 2014 LIST CAN BE FOUND AT -
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/emdm45ehefd/XAVIER IS THE 17TH MOST PROFITABLE PROGRAM ON BOTH LISTS.