The Joe Pomp Show From Sellouts to Shortfalls: Colorado Projects $27 Million Deficit After Deion Sanders 3-9 Season
Dec 8, 2025
Colorado's athletic department faces a staggering $27 million deficit after a disappointing 3-9 season under Deion Sanders. While football revenue surged with increased ticket sales and sponsorships, expenses escalated even more, creating a financial turmoil. Public perception is in decline, yet revenue isn’t the core issue; mismanagement is. Joe discusses potential solutions, including cutting costs and rethinking contracts, as students may ultimately foot the bill for this fiscal mess.
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Honeymoon To Financial Crisis
- Deion Sanders' honeymoon may be ending after a 3-9 season and recruiting drop.
- The athletic department now projects a $27 million deficit, the largest in school history.
Revenue Explosion From Football
- Colorado's athletic revenue surged about 52% since Deion arrived, driven mostly by football.
- Football ticket sales jumped from ~$13M to over $31M and game-day revenue rose substantially.
Expenses Outpaced Growth
- The problem is runaway expenses, not revenue shortfalls.
- Athletic spending rose from about $88.9M pre-COVID to $163M this fiscal year.