Well, it makes sense that Auburn just paid Gus Malzahn its richest contract in school history.
Why? According to 247sports’ Brandon Marcello, Auburn reported that it brought in record-setting revenues for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
Marcello reported through an open records request for Auburn’s NCAA Financial Report that the Tigers pulled in $147.5 million in revenues and that the program operated under a $14.6 million surplus.
Auburn is investing the vast majority of those revenues back into its facilities. Auburn is in the final stages of its new $28 million indoor facility attached to Jordan-Hare Stadium, which is set to be finished before the start of the 2018 season.
The Tigers could set revenue records in 2017-18 as well after winning the SEC West and earning a New Year’s 6 Bowl berth. The basketball program is also atop the conference standings halfway through the season.
Malzahn recently agreed to a new 7-year deal that will pay him $7 million annually beginning in 2018.
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Down South. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.
