In comparison to three other Ohio MAC schools, BGSU’s athletics program has the second highest amount of student fee contributions, which are paid by students at the beginning of each semester. However, with the program having a total budget of $25.96 million in 2025, BGSU has the smallest, total athletic budget among the other comparable Ohio MAC schools.  

In 2025, BGSU intercollegiate athletics for revenue sports received $14.15 million from students’ general fees paid at the beginning of the fiscal year. That’s 54% of the athletics program’s revenue, according to the university’s budget book. 

The funds from students’ fees make having athletics programs at BGSU possible, experts said. The practice of using general student fees to fund a university’s athletic department is prevalent within the Mid-American Conference (MAC).  

“At MAC level institutions, without student fees you would not be able to run an athletic department at the Division 1 level,” said sports management professor Amanda Koba. “We just simply don’t get the media television coverage and the money coming in from television rights that Big Ten or SEC schools do.”  

Student fee contributions to athletics programs vary across the Ohio MAC schools, and the way universities document their budgets also differ. According to the 2024 Knight-Newhouse database, the University of Toledo’s athletics program received 22% ($8.52 million) of its budget from student fees, Miami University’s athletics program received 46% ($18.75 million) of its budget from student fees and Kent State University’s athletics program received 42% ($13.73 million). 

Though these athletics programs have specific indications of how much they receive from student fees, other schools have broader descriptions in their budget books. Because of this, Ohio University and University of Akron’s athletics budgets are not directly comparable to the other Ohio MAC schools’ data. 

The practice of student fees funding athletics at universities like BGSU isn’t uncommon, and the amount universities receive from this source varies. 

“It has been reported that approximately 80% of institutions use student fees in some way to support intercollegiate athletics,” said sports management professor and faculty athletics representative Ray Schneider. “While the dollar amount varies greatly, the practice is common.”  

The university notes that the fee entitles students “to attend free, or at a reduced admission fee, most campus activities and athletic activities.”  

However, Koba said students aren’t receiving these benefits for “free.” 

“I don’t think a lot of students really realize that they’re paying this money already,” said Koba in regard to admission to BGSU athletic events. “They know they get ‘free tickets,’ but they’re not free, it’s paid for, so you might as well go.”  

Despite the higher level of student contribution than similar universities, BGSU students said they see the value in funding BGSU’s athletics programs. 

“Just going to the sporting events in general, you get a better connection with the student athletes,” said Falcon Fanatics member Dillon Liskai. “We have just amazing student athletes here at BGSU, and they love connecting with their community and their fellow classmates, so attending the sporting events allows you to have a deeper connection.”  

Falcon coaches and athletes said they are grateful for the support they receive from students.  

“We want to support the people that support us,” said BGSU head volleyball coach Alex DelPiombo. “Any chance we get to work across campus, even if we’re tired it doesn’t matter. We need to be showing up for the people who show up for us.”  

Liskai said the connections made at athletic events have the potential to help students in their future paths.  

“The people you meet could be your future employer, it could be someone you hire one day as a future employee,” said Liskai. “All those different connections are possible, and the opportunities are really endless just by simply attending a game.”  

For more information about BGSU Athletics, visit https://bgsufalcons.com/.