Though the Tigers may not have defeated the Tide in the last Iron Bowl battle, they did manage to top their rivals in another way: Revenue.
Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal unveiled their Top 10 College Sports revenue list last week. In the 2007-2008 season, Auburn football brought in the sixth highest amount of money of all NCAA teams.
"We can't do anything but applaud our fan base," said Stephen Naughton, director of ticket sales in the Auburn athletic department. "Obviously a ton of support comes from our alumni, but there are so many other fans that didn't go to Auburn, but love it just the same."
The tackling Tigers brought in $59.67 million, topping the Tide's $57.37 million in the past season.
Auburn athletics brought in a total of $89.31 million, placing seventh on the overall list and defeating the eighth place Alabama in a second category.
"The top 10 ranking just shows that Auburn fans put their money where their mouth is when it comes to football," said Austen Vollenweider, a junior majoring in animal science specializing in pre-veterinary medicine. "Football is serious business here."
The University of Texas lead the NCAA in both overall and football categories, with its athletic department bringing in $120.28 million, and football making $72.95 million of that total.
Five of the top 10 schools in football revenue were SEC universities. Behind Texas, the University of Georgia sits second, followed by Florida, Ohio State University, Notre Dame, Auburn, Michigan, Alabama, Penn State and Louisiana State University.
Texas also lead the pack in 2003, raking in $47.55 million, significantly less than its most recent revenue mark.
The top 10 athletic programs in the NCAA behind the Longhorns are Ohio State, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee and Oklahoma State.
Auburn football is a revenue booster for the University, selling out Jordan-Hare nearly every season, Naughton said. But, tough economic times paired with a sub-par last season have pushed ticket sales down.
Tickets went on sale to the public last week, like every other season, unlike many seasons in the past, tickets are still available for several SEC matchups, Naughton said.
"Our ticket sales are down five to six percent so far," Naughton said. "I think it's the economy mainly. Most of the reasons people have given us for not buying tickets have to do with just not being able to afford it this year."
Still, he said he is confident that most tickets won't be available for long. This year, Auburn sold all its tickets through a new online system. Currently, e-mails are being sent to ticket holders from the last five years describing ticket packages and the games that are still available, Naughton said. The ticket office will also begin to advertise heavily in newspapers and online, he said.
"Auburn has no medical school and no law school," Naughton said. "We're the farmers and the engineers, and we're still drawing great crowds. That says a lot for Auburn."
Naughton said that Auburn fans are loyal to their team and their town.
"I have bought student tickets each year that I've been at Auburn," Vollenweider said. "And I will keep buying them, no matter what kind of team we are projected to have, as long as I can."
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