Collapse of Sports Brings Dire Scenarios to Schools Like Clemson
- Colleges large and small are assessing fallout of pandemic
- Clemson budgets range from $7.5 million hit to open-ended loss
Defensive back K'Von Wallace of Clemson tries to catch the ball while running a drill in Indianapolis, Indiana, Feb. 29.
Photographer: Joe Robbins/Getty Images
The U.S. economic slump is rippling through college budgets across the country. And it’s only going to get worse if the football season -- the largest source of sports revenue at most big schools -- is scrapped or delayed this fall.
For a snapshot of how U.S. universities are coping, look no further than Clemson -- the only school to participate in each of the past five College Football Playoffs -- where athletic officials are hoping for the best but also planning for the worst.
At its most optimistic, Clemson sees a revenue drop of about $7.5 million, a manageable hit on a sports budget that grew to $132 million last year. From there, administrators turn to more dire possibilities: a partially disrupted college football season or, in the worst case, one that doesn’t happen at all.