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Rising travel, food costs straining college athletic budgets

Arizona football players arrive at Rice-Eccles Stadium before their NCAA college football game against Utah Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Salt Lake City. Arizona athletics, which has a $101.6 million budget and 21 sports, projects costs could increase by $4 million, according to Derek van der Merwe, an assistant vice president and chief operating officer for administration and athletics at the Pac-12 school. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Arizona football players arrive at Rice-Eccles Stadium before their NCAA college football game against Utah Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Salt Lake City. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Arizona estimates it could spend $4 million more across the board this year than it would if the U.S. inflation rate hadn’t risen to more than 8%. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Arizona football players arrive at Rice-Eccles Stadium before their NCAA college football game against Utah Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Salt Lake City. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Arizona football players arrive at Rice-Eccles Stadium before their NCAA college football game against Utah Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Salt Lake City. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. Schools in major conferences are working with boosters and other partners to try to bridge the financial gap. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) The Nebraska football team enters the field as the marching band and cheerleaders perform before playing against Minnesota in an NCAA college football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Lincoln, Neb. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz) Nebraska fans celebrate after a play against Minnesota during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska, with 24 sports programs, has an athletic budget of $168 million this year. The school expects the cost of doing business to be about $3 million more than it would be if the U.S. inflation rate hadn’t risen to more than 8%. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz) Nebraska cheerleaders celebrate a touchdown against Minnesota during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Lincoln, Neb. College athletic programs are reacting to soaring inflation the same way as everyone else — they’re looking for ways big and small to save money. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz) An Iowa State football sits on the field before an NCAA college football game against West Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Iowa State cheerleaders arrive at Jack Trice Stadium before an NCAA college football game against West Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Nebraska cheerleaders hype fans as they await the team's arrival outside Memorial Stadium before an NCAA college football game against Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Lincoln, Neb. In the Power Five, home of college sports' biggest budgets and most considerable resources, schools are working with boosters and other partners to try to bridge the financial gap. Working down the line to smaller institutions, where budgets and resources are smaller, creativity is a must. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz) An Iowa State end zone pylon is seen on the field before an NCAA college football game against West Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Jack Trice Stadium is seen before an NCAA college football game between Iowa State and West Virgina, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) The Iowa State logo is seen on the field before an NCAA college football game against West Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Fans walk near the Nebraska team bus following the players' arrival at Memorial Stadium before an NCAA college football game against Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Lincoln, Neb. Nebraska expects to spend $9.2 million on athletic department travel this year, executive associate athletic director and CFO Doug Ewald said. That’s a 17% increase, or $1.3 million. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz) Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell arrives for an NCAA college football game against West Virgina, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Iowa State players arrive for an NCAA college football game against West Virgina, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell runs onto the field before an NCAA college football game against West Virginia, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Arizona football players arrive at Rice-Eccles Stadium before their NCAA college football game against Utah Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Salt Lake City. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. They're looking for ways to save. Travel and food are the primary areas with increased costs. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Arizona football players arrive at Rice-Eccles Stadium before their NCAA college football game against Utah Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Salt Lake City. College athletic programs of all sizes are reacting to inflation the same way as everyone else. In the Power Five, home of college sports' biggest budgets and most considerable resources, schools are working with boosters and other partners to try to bridge the financial gap. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Nebraska cheerleaders celebrate a touchdown against Minnesota during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Lincoln, Neb. College athletic programs are reacting to soaring inflation the same way as everyone else — they’re looking for ways big and small to save money. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)