Aggies earned $265,038 from bowl win

University sold 5,900-plus tickets

LAS CRUCES — New Mexico State earned an estimated $265,038 for its first football bowl game since 1960, prompting athletic director Mario Moccia to say that “any Group of Five school would be unbelievably pleased with this amount.”

NMSU sold over 5,900 tickets, splitting revenue 50-50 with the Sun Belt Conference for its initial allotment and then striking the same deal with the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl itself. The Aggies defeated Utah State 26-20 in overtime on Dec. 29 in Tucson.

“I never imagined that north of $250,000 would be possible,” Moccia said.

According to the NMSU athletic department, the Arizona Bowl revenues totaled $609,122 and expenses totaled $344,084.

On the revenue side, NMSU received $250,000 from the Sun Belt Conference with another $33,000 from the conference since the Arizona Bowl was a later start date.

NMSU received a $150,000 travel allowance from the conference and half of all ticket sales, which was a profit of $164,582.

Moccia said he hopes to negotiate with television networks for inclusion into regional midmajor bowl games as the Aggies begin play as an independent football team this fall.

NMSU had an additional $11,540 of “other revenue” listed, including contractual incentives of $5,000 each from media rights holder Learfield Sports and Under Armour for reaching a bowl game per the school’s contract.

On the cost side, it cost the University $197,652 for team travel, including the band, via charter buses and $3,699 for administration travel.

Since the fall semester ended on Dec. 12, it cost NMSU $44,451 for student athlete per diem and housing between the end of the semester and the bowl game, as well as another $28,732 for one meal per day for the football team.

NMSU used $23,530 for student-athlete apparel and gear and $38,000 for performance incentives for head coach Doug Martin ($20,000), Moccia ($5,000) and $2,000 for assistant coaches and strength coach Don Decker.