Decatur County spent $2,381,478 on men’s collegiate football teams in 2023, an increase of 40.6% over the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
This translates to roughly 29.2% of all spending for sports teams at the Graceland University-Lamoni, the only institution in the county during the 2023 season.
The average sports expenses at Decatur County have grown 84.1% 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.
Men’s Football Team’s Expenditures in Decatur County in Last 5 Years
| Year | Football Team’s Expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $2,381,478 | 29.2% |
| 2022 | $1,693,355 | 23.2% |
| 2021 | $1,095,991 | 19.8% |
| 2020 | $949,788 | 20.5% |
| 2019 | $1,212,996 | 21.6% |
