Coach Deion Sanders has been a major asset for the University of Colorado Boulder (CU). From ad deals to celebrity endorsements and increased media coverage, the NFL Hall of Famer has reportedly generated $90.6 million in revenue for the Division I school, according to Yahoo Finance.
And his tenure, along with the school’s growing popularity, has only just begun.
“CU Boulder has been the epicenter
of the national sports world, which has provided unprecedented exposure for our university across the country,” CU Chancellor Phil DiStefano said. “I am impressed by the excitement that has permeated campus, which is less quantifiable but certainly as important as record-setting merchandise and ticket sales.”Coach Prime and the Buffaloes have ignited a firestorm of interest and fandom for the school, resulting in a 2,544 percent
increase in sales for the online team store, the second highest-grossing month since Sanders’ arrival. CU has also enjoyed a surplus in funds from donors: around $2 million since September 2022.Additionally, “The Prime Effect” has helped shine a brighter light onto the players that make up the Buffaloes team by way of major NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals and vested interest in their talents. Running backs Charlie Offerdahl
and Alton McCaskill starred alongside Coach Sanders in an ad for California Almonds, while the team’s quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way player Travis Hunter rank among the top 10 in NIL deals for all collegiate athletes.“I’m so happy for our students, alumni, and fans who have all been savoring this incredible experience,” DiStefano said. “Most of all, I’m immensely proud of our coaches and student-athletes, who have demonstrated incredible poise amidst all of this attention and whose hard work is the reason we’re enjoying such a successful start to the season.”
Though the Colorado Buffaloes suffered their first loss on September 23 to the University of Oregon, 42-6, the numbers don’t lie when quantifying the overnight public infatuation with the school’s football team and its superstar coach.