Big Red Athletics Powers Lincoln Economy

Lincoln - University of Nebraska athletics generates more than $114 million of annual output to the city of Lincoln's economy, including more than $87 million in output alone from the Nebraska football program, according to an Economic Impact Study released by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research on Wednesday.

Nebraska Athletic Department spending, along with the spending of Husker fans who attend Nebraska home contests, generates a major economic impact on the Lincoln metro area. The $114.3 million in output reported in the study does not include in-stadium spending or tickets, or spending by Husker fans who do not attend games. 

Some of the most impressive figures released in the Economic Impact Study for the 2004-05 fiscal year include:

• $114.3 million in output, $41.2 million in worker income, 2,840 jobs and $595,000 in direct sales tax revenue for the City of Lincoln.
• While the University of Nebraska athletic department receives no student fees or tax dollars, it annually pays $2.1 million in taxes annually ($1.6 in football ticket sales taxes). 
• The Nebraska football program alone had an economic impact on the Lincoln area of: $87.1 million in output (including $35.4 million from fan spending),
• The economic impact from football fan spending will grow in future years as seating capacity is expanded at Memorial Stadium and as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln hosts more home football games ($8.7 million per year beginning in 2006).
• The annual economic impact on the State of Nebraska (outside Lincoln) in the 2004-2005 fiscal year was between $48.0 million and $155.1 million in output