Myrtle Beach: CCU Athletic Subsidies Dispute
Coastal Carolina University disputes data showing highest student fees. Here’s how many thousands go to sports
By Ben Morse, March 16, 2024, 5:00 AM
Coastal Carolina University is disputing data and claims that their students pay more to subsidize athletics compared to almost all other schools. A post published on X, formerly known as Twitter, March 1, 2024 claimed that CCU students paid $3,634 in athletic subsidies during the 2023 fiscal year, the most in the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision.
CCU students paid more athletic subsidies than all of their Sun Belt Conference counterparts, according to the post. The data also showed that CCU students paid almost $500 more for athletics than the school with the second-highest student subsidy, South Alabama.
CCU Director of Communication Jerry Rashid refuted Altimore’s findings, writing that the university calculated the athletic subsidy to be $2,090. “The University has evaluated the information in the social media post, and we are unable to replicate the provided data,” Rashid wrote in an email to The Sun News.
While the exact figure is in dispute, what is not is that Coastal Carolina students pay a lot for athletics. Based on Altimore’s initial report, a $2,090 student athletic subsidy would still be among the highest compared to other schools. CCU would no longer lead the Sun Belt Conference.
Altimore’s used data from the Sportico College Sports Finances Database, which obtains data from universities through public records requests.
Ben Morse is the Retail and Leisure Reporter for The Sun News. Morse covers local business and Coastal Carolina University football. Morse previously worked for The Island Packet covering local government.
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Author: STAFF HERE MYRTLE BEACH
The HERE Myrtle Beach Staff Writers are a collaborative team of journalists, editors, and local contributors passionate about delivering accurate, timely information to the Myrtle Beach community. As part of the HEREcity.com Network, which powers over 100 U.S. city sites including HEREcolumbia.com, our staff draws on collective experience in South Carolina journalism to cover everything from business sales and real estate developments to dining deals and community initiatives. Our Expertise and Background Local Roots in Myrtle Beach Our team includes lifelong Myrtle Beach residents and SC natives with deep knowledge of the area’s history, economy, and culture. We’ve covered key events like the recent developments along the Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach’s tourism and hospitality industry, and growth in local education sectors (e.g., Coastal Carolina University programs). Collective Experience With over 50 combined years in journalism, our staff has backgrounds in print, digital media, and community reporting. We prioritize fact-based stories, drawing from sources like the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, city government records, and on-the-ground interviews. Commitment to Quality Every article is a group effort, involving research, editing, and verification to ensure reliability. We adhere to journalistic standards, citing credible sources and updating content as new details emerge.
