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In dollars: How valuable are Florida's university football programs?

 
The University of Florida football program is valued at  $682 million, making it the most valuable by far in the Sunshine State. Pictured are UF cheerleaders leading the crowd in a Gator cheer on Clearwater Beach last December during the Outback Bowl Beach Day on Clearwater Beach. [SCOTT KEELER   |   Times]
The University of Florida football program is valued at $682 million, making it the most valuable by far in the Sunshine State. Pictured are UF cheerleaders leading the crowd in a Gator cheer on Clearwater Beach last December during the Outback Bowl Beach Day on Clearwater Beach. [SCOTT KEELER | Times]
Published Sept. 22, 2017

The University of Florida football program is valued in a new study at $682 million, making it the most valuable university team in the state but still worth far less than several college programs topping $1 billion. Four years ago, UF's program was valued at just under $600 million.

So finds an analysis of 115 college football programs by Ryan Brewer, an associate professor of finance at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus. He calculated what each team would be worth on the open market if sold like a professional sports franchise.

Seven Florida university team programs were valued, ranging from UF at the top and the University of South Florida ranked No. 5 in the state at $70 million. Four years ago, USF ranked higher with a value of $101.2 million.

PAST COVERAGE: What college football teams are worth - a lot! - and where Florida teams rank.

Nationally, the top three teams — all valued at more than $1 billion apiece — were Ohio State, which has increased sharply to $1.5 billion, followed by Texas at $1.24 billion and Oklahoma at $1 billion.

The analysis sheds financial light on why major college football programs get so much attention. Winning teams at the most competitive levels can generate big gains — both in dollars and positive publicity — for their schools.