Naples Standard

Collier County spent $1,949,245 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 11.8% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 18.7% of all spending for sports teams at the Ave Maria University, the only institution in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Collier County have grown 645.4% 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.

Year	Football Team's Expenditures	% from grand total sport team expenditures
2023	$1,949,245	18.7%
2022	$1,743,181	18.1%
2021	$1,510,888	22%
2020	$1,710,032	26.7%
2019	$1,567,056	29.8%