Report: Auburn finishes 2021 fiscal year with substantial deficit
Auburn University’s athletic department operated at a substantial loss during the 2021 fiscal year, according to a report from the Montgomery Advisor, which says that the athletic department finished the year with a $9.7 million deficit.
Auburn athletics finished nearly $10 million in the red despite an enormous bailout fund created by the Southeastern Conference in May, which allotted $23 million per university to help offset the financial impact of COVID-19. That bailout fund from the SEC reportedly accounted for 18.6 percent of Auburn’s total operating revenue. Auburn’s 2021 fiscal year began on Oct. 1, 2020 and ended on Sept. 30, 2021.
According to the Montgomery Advisor, the Auburn athletic department generated $123,546,999 in total revenue during the 2021 fiscal year a $30 million decline from the previous year. This deficit came one year after Auburn operated at a $17.9 million profit, a new school record. Athletic department expenses were $133,289,885, a 1.86 percent decrease from the previous year and the university’s lowest athletic spending total since 2016-17.
Among the many causes for Auburn’s deficit, according to the Montgomery Advisor, are limited capacity and ticket sales at sporting events; firing head football coach Gus Malzahn and his staff, then hiring Bryan Harsin and his staff; and the pandemic.
Auburn football announces multiple coaching staff moves
One year after firing its previous football staff, Auburn announced a slew of new hires, which could once again be reflected in the university’s spending. Some coaches, like defensive coordinator Derek Mason, left on their own volition; offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, on the other hand, was dismissed by Harsin, so the university would have to pay the buyout.
Auburn football announced multiple shifts within the structure of its defensive coaching staff Saturday, formalizing several moves previously reported. As the defensive structure shifts in 2022, new names and new titles across the staff are now official.
With former defensive coordinator Derek Mason set to step down, former assistant head coach and linebackers coach Jeff Schmedding received a promotion to the vacant position. In a corresponding move, Auburn hired former Florida linebackers coach Christian Robinson to the same position, adding run game coordinator to his duties.
The Tigers also adding duties to current assistants Zac Etheridge and Bert Watts. Etheridge will add recruiting coordinator to his secondary coaching job and Watts will add associate head coach to his duties as special teams coordinator and edge linebackers coach.
In addition, Auburn hired former All-SEC Tiger Jimmy Brumbaugh to the staff as a defensive line coach.
On3’s James Fletcher III contributed to this report.