Arkansas experienced a massive surplus during the fiscal year 2021

The University of Arkansas operated at a $20.8 million surplus in 2021 thanks to a $23.3 million supplemental revenue payment from the SEC, according to Christina Long of the Times Record. Despite the bailout from the conference, the school fared well compared to others in college athletics.

The impact of COVID-19 has left many schools with a deficit, leading the SEC to provide Arkansas and its other members with the extra revenue to help continue growth within the conference.

In addition to posting a good financial year, Arkansas saw a revival on the football field under Sam Pittman and made a deep tournament run with basketball coach Eric Musselman. The baseball team, women’s basketball team and gymnastic teams also performed well in addition to continued success in several individual sports.

Under athletic director Hunter Yurachek, Arkansas reported operating revenue of $132.4 million in the fiscal year of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 and operating expenses of $111.6 million.

SEC commissioner on expansion

If there is a clear winner from conference expansion over the past several years it’s Greg Sankey. The SEC commissioner has built his conference into a powerhouse, and it’s only getting better.

With Oklahoma and Texas on the way by 2025 at the latest, Sankey has every reason to feel good about the future. Speaking with reporters ahead of Monday’s national championship, which features SEC teams Georgia and Alabama, the commissioner touted his conference’s success over recent years.

Sankey noted that the SEC is the only conference represented in the College Football Playoff every year since its inception in 2014. He also claimed that the league engaging in conference expansion was done for the benefit of the sport.

“That’s an enormous give (for the SEC),” he said. “That give was because we have to have college football supported nationally. …We (the SEC) don’t need this.”

Including this season, the SEC has claimed five of the eight national title games in the Playoff era. It has also had at least one team in the championship in seven consecutive seasons. To this, the commissioner addressed the topic of Playoff expansion, saying there is no need for his conference.

“Those who asked (to expand the playoff) are not ready to act,” he said. “It’s in my best interest to leave it at four.”

Sankey also took a shot at the strength of conferences outside the SEC, alluding to a Penn State-Illinois game that went nine overtimes.

“We’re in a nine overtime contest and none of us can accomplish a 2-point conversion,” he quipped.

The most recent wave of conference expansion is the first for the SEC since Greg Sankey became commissioner in 2015. The conference previously added Texas A&M and Missouri from the Big 12 in 2012, when Sankey was an associate commissioner.