Mid Valley Reporter

Polk County spent $1,654,856 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 54.9% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 21.9% of all spending for sports teams at the Western Oregon University, the only institution in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Polk County have grown 83.6% 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	$1,654,856	21.9%
2022	$1,068,315	23.2%
2021	$0	0%
2020	$1,215,116	20%
2019	$1,591,541	26.7%