Fargo Standard

Richland County spent $154,828 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 68.3% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 16.2% of all spending for sports teams at the North Dakota State College of Science, the only institution in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Richland County have grown 121.1% 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	$154,828	16.2%
2022	$91,977	10.3%
2021	$84,863	11.3%
2020	$120,678	14.6%
2019	$129,638	15.3%