By ALLISON McVICKER
BGSU Student Journalist
Bowling Green State University student fees fund 43% of the university’s major athletic operating expenses – an amount that is more than double the Mid-American Conference average of 19% and nearly nine times higher than the national FBS average of 5%, according to 2024 data from the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database.
BGSU undergraduate students taking between 12 and 18 credit hours pay a general fee of $805.20, according to documents from the official BGSU tuition and fees webpage.
The funds from students’ fees make having athletics programs at BGSU possible, officials said. The practice of using general student fees to fund a university’s athletic department is prevalent within the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
“At MAC-level institutions, without student fees, you would not be able to run an athletic department at the Division 1 level,” said sports management professor Amanda Koba. “We just simply don’t get the media television coverage and the money coming in from television rights that Big Ten or SEC schools do.”
Student fee contributions to athletics programs vary across the MAC. Miami University’s student fee contribution is highest at 46% ($1,579.44), followed by BGSU at 43% ($805.20), Kent State at 42% ($948.55) and Ball State at 39% ($727).
The University of Toledo’s athletics program receives 22% ($1,612) of its budget from student fees.
Five MAC schools – Ohio University, the University of Akron, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University and Western Michigan University – each have zero student fee contributions to their athletics budget.
Institutional and governmental support is how these schools receive a lot of their athletic funds. This support takes up 71% of Ohio University’s athletic program finances, 71% of Eastern Michigan University’s, 69% of Central Michigan University’s, 67% of University of Akron’s and 53% of Western Michigan University’s.
While the practice of student fees funding athletics at universities like BGSU isn’t uncommon, the amount universities receive from this source varies.
“It has been reported that approximately 80% of institutions use student fees in some way to support intercollegiate athletics,” said sports management professor and faculty athletics representative Ray Schneider. “While the dollar amount varies greatly, the practice is common.”
The university notes that the fee entitles students “to attend free, or at a reduced admission fee, most campus activities and athletic activities.”
However, Koba said students aren’t receiving these benefits for “free.”
“I don’t think a lot of students really realize that they’re paying this money already,” said Koba in regard to admission to BGSU athletic events. “They know they get ‘free tickets,’ but they’re not free, it’s paid for, so you might as well go.”
Despite the higher level of student contribution than similar universities, BGSU students said they see the value in funding BGSU’s athletics programs.
“Just going to the sporting events in general, you get a better connection with the student athletes,” said Falcon Fanatics member Dillon Liskai. “We have just amazing student athletes here at BGSU, and they love connecting with their community and their fellow classmates, so attending the sporting events allows you to have a deeper connection.”
Falcon coaches and athletes said they are grateful for the support they receive from students.
“We want to support the people that support us,” said BGSU head volleyball coach Alex DelPiombo. “Any chance we get to work across campus, even if we’re tired, it doesn’t matter. We need to be showing up for the people who show up for us.”
Liskai said the connections made at athletic events have the potential to help students in their future paths.
“The people you meet could be your future employer, it could be someone you hire one day as a future employee,” said Liskai. “All those different connections are possible, and the opportunities are really endless just by simply attending a game.”
For more information about BGSU Athletics, visit https://bgsufalcons.com/.
