The University of Central Arkansas has released the athletics operating income totals for the complete fiscal year of 2020.

UCA sport, particularly football, saw itself have success competing in high profile games on national television. However, COVID-19 killed the momentum for some of UCA’s fall sports. The football team only played three games at home at Estes Stadium, limiting home ticket sales.

In the 2019-20 fiscal year, the total sports related revenue was 7,992,935. In the 2020-21 fiscal year, the total sports related revenues was dollars 8,881,468, which is a ten percent decrease. Overall, the UCA athletics fees was lowered from 5,500,000 dollars in 2020, to 5,225,000 dollars in 2021, which is a five percent decrease.

Social distancing also limited home ticket sales, but not just in football. All UCA teams that hosted home sporting events were limited in terms of capacity. However, ticket sales and transfers did not decline at all. Ticket sales and transfers revenue stayed at 460,000 dollars.

The UCA Foundation saw their transfers grow in 2020 versus 2019. The UCA foundation transfer numbers grew 7.65 percent and increased from 265,418 dollars in 2019 to 285,728 in 2020.

Across the athletic department, the administration budget was sliced the hardest at a 30.45 percent decrease. Every sport at UCA had a decrease in their budget and revenue. Men’s track and field was the sport affected the most by budget and revenue cuts. Men’s track and field had a 16.6 percent decrease in their budget.

Women’s Tennis had the lowest budget cut out of all the sports at a .25 percent decrease. Football had a 3.76 percent decrease in their budget, even after having an increase in national attention. Baseball had a 4.25 percent decrease. Softball had a 5.96 percent decrease. Women’s Basketball had a 1.53 percent decrease. Men’s Basketball had a 7.26 percent decrease. Cheerleaders and dancers saw no change to their budget.