Georgia State used $85.7 million in student fees help pay for sports

Top universities have pumped $10 billion of fees into sports
Robert Davis of Georgia State turns to run after making a catch against Samford, in the Panthers’ season opener Aug. 30, 2013. (Photo credit: Paul Abell/Abell Images)

Robert Davis of Georgia State turns to run after making a catch against Samford, in the Panthers’ season opener Aug. 30, 2013. (Photo credit: Paul Abell/Abell Images)

The Chronicle of Higher Education and The Huffington Post report that a river of cash is flowing into college sports, financing a spending spree among elite universities that has sent coaches' salaries soaring and spurred new discussions about whether athletes should be paid. But most of that revenue is going to a handful of elite sports programs, leaving colleges like Georgia State to rely heavily on students to finance their athletic ambitions.

In the past five years, public universities pumped more than $10.3 billion in mandatory student fees and other subsidies into their sports programs, the report says.

Among those in Atlanta are Georgia State University, which has put about $90 million of students fees into its sports programs, and Kennesaw State, which has spent about $42 million in student fees on supporting sports.