Premium seating for fans helps MSU meet budget
The MSU Athletic Department has broke even for 2004-05 thanks in large part to revenues from surcharges on top basketball seats at the Breslin Center and seat licensing fees on the top 15,000 seats at Spartan Stadium. They are also predicting that they will break even for the 2005-06 season as well. According to Joe Rexrode of the Lansing State Journal, MSU’s budget report shows revenues of $59.2 million and expenses of $55.4 million.
“We met the budget, let’s put it that way, and it’ll be the same thing (this) year,” MSU athletic director Ron Mason said. “We’re doing fine. I feel we’re solid. We’ve had some pretty darn good growth.
“If we had no scholarship seating (MSU’s term for the stadium surcharges) and no courtside seating, we’d be in the red. Without a doubt.”
MSU brought in $2.1 million from the stadium plan and another $225,000 from the $6,500-apiece courtside seats at Breslin, which were added in 2003.
Mason’s department also is starting to see the fruits of its Spartan Stadium renovation, which added suites and club seats in 2005. In 2004-05, MSU received $2.64 million from people paying in advance for suites or club seats.