U.S. states increase taxpayer funding for college sports

An increasing number of U.S. states are allocating taxpayer funds to support university athletics as rising costs and athlete compensation requirements strain athletic department budgets.

North Carolina and Louisiana are earmarking revenue from sports betting taxes for their universities. Additionally, Wisconsin has included funding for athletic costs at its flagship university in its state budget, while Connecticut has established a tax credit program to benefit university sports programs. Analysts suggest these state-level funding efforts represent an emerging trend in managing the financial deficits faced by major college sports programs.