Roanoke Sun

Franklin County spent $812,523 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 14.8% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 20.2% of all spending for sports teams at the Ferrum College, the only institution in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Franklin County have grown 156.3% 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	$812,523	20.2%
2022	$707,759	18.8%
2021	$563,789	21.2%
2020	$563,177	16.6%
2019	$691,598	19.1%