Macon Reporter

Macon County spent $560,973 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, a decrease of 16.5% from the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 12% of all spending for sports teams at the Millikin University, the only institution in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Macon County have grown 130.1% 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	$560,973	12%
2022	$671,915	14.8%
2021	$578,860	15.4%
2020	$663,166	16.6%
2019	$687,245	17.8%