Deion Sanders’ Colorado Athletic Dept. $27 Million in the Hole
- Nd® SPORTS
- 6 hours ago
- 1 min read
Published August 18, 2026 at 5:45 AM EDT
RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty Images
BOULDER, CO —Despite the national attention generated by Deion Sanders, Colorado’s athletic department faces a projected $27 million deficit for fiscal 2026 as the escalating cost of college sports puts new pressure on the Buffaloes’ finances.
Colorado generated approximately $161.7 million in operating revenue in fiscal 2025, but athletic director Fernando Lovo says the university must substantially expand donor participation. Of CU Boulder’s more than 380,000 living alumni, only about 8,000 belong to the Buff Club, the school’s primary athletic fundraising organization. Lovo wants membership to reach at least 10,000.
The Buff Club raised a record $28 million in 2023, while the Crawford Family Foundation recently committed another $6 million. Still, Colorado faces growing expenses from revenue sharing, facilities and athlete support. Unlike programs backed heavily by wealthy individual donors, Lovo wants Colorado to build a broader, sustainable fundraising base among ordinary alumni and fans.
Meanwhile, CBS Sports polled more than 50 college-football industry insiders and found that several Power Four programs are now spending $40 million or more on their 2026 football rosters. LSU may be above $50 million, while Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Texas are also placed in the $40 million-plus tier.
Colorado is not listed among those top spending tiers. The only Colorado-specific figure in the article concerns former Buffaloes offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, who transferred to LSU and is now reportedly earning more than $4 million annually, making him one of the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in college football.
Comments