Spartanburg Reporter

Cherokee County spent $1,786,550 on men's collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 2.5% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

This translates to roughly 16% of all spending for sports teams at the Limestone University, the only institution in the county during the 2023 season.

The average sports expenses at Cherokee County have grown 102% 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	$1,786,550	16%
2022	$1,742,432	17.9%
2021	$1,970,191	20.3%
2020	$1,757,589	13.1%
2019	$1,381,802	11.7%