Everyone enjoys a good college football game, whether you’re an athlete or a fan watching live from the sidelines or at home. Before all the exciting action on the field, a lot of pre-planning and coordination go into making the event happen.
This exciting event can cost a lot, from stadium operations to security, marketing, and travel. Depending on the scale of the game, the expenses range from thousands to millions of dollars. Below, we break down the cost of hosting a college football game.
What You Might Not Know About the Costs of Hosting College Football Games
According to estimates, it takes a whopping $500,000 to over $2 million to host a successful home game for major programs in the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Each game incurs significant costs, including stadium operations, staff wages, facility maintenance, and other operational expenses, making game-day logistics a substantial part of the budget.
It is estimated that a team might spend between $1,000 and $5,000 per weekend to rent a stadium—and that’s just for smaller programs.
Hosting college football games requires significant behind-the-scenes planning and is expensive. Expenses include stadium maintenance, field care, and facility upgrades. Ensuring security and safety requires investments in personnel and equipment.
In addition to these costs, utilities like electricity and water are crucial for powering sound systems, scoreboards, and concessions. Marketing efforts—including advertisements and promotions—also add up.
Game-day operations require staffing for parking, concessions, and merchandise sales. These often-overlooked elements are essential for delivering a seamless and enjoyable experience for fans and teams, highlighting the complexity and financial commitment involved in managing successful college football events.
Breaking Down the Costs
Stadium operations typically account for the largest share, often reaching six figures in planning.
For example, in early 2025, it was announced that “a former Penn State Board of Trustees chairman and his family are the latest donors to give a seven-figure gift toward the athletic department’s $700 million Beaver Stadium renovation project. Matthew W. Schuyler and his wife, Anne, gave $5 million toward the project in December 2024.”
KEEP READING: 2025 College Football Top 25 Power Rankings: Can Arch Manning Lead Texas to the No. 1 Seed?
When you factor in security and staffing, the total can easily exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars. For example, in Texas’s game against Georgia, they had 1,000 part-time staff members to manage operations. To enhance fan engagement, tens of thousands are also spent on marketing and promotions.
Yes, it truly takes millions of dollars to host a college football game.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
