South Georgia Times

Lowndes County spent $1,412,927 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, a decrease of 1.8% from the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 19.5% of all spending for sports teams at the Valdosta State University, the only institution in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Lowndes County have grown 44.5% 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	$1,412,927	19.5%
2022	$1,438,829	13.3%
2021	$1,474,977	24.5%
2020	$1,337,772	18.2%
2019	$1,545,143	19.3%