• Loading stock data...
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Deion Sanders Driving Colorado Merch Sales, Out-Of-State Applications

  • Merchandise sales on Colorado’s online team store are up 1,220% year-over-year from the same period in 2022.
  • Out-of-state applications to the school are up 40%, according to Colorado chancellor Philip DiStefano.
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks the field during game agains the USC Trojans at Folsom Field.
John Leyba-USA TODAY Sports

The Coach Prime Effect continues to provide a financial windfall for the University of Colorado.

In Deion Sanders’ first season as Colorado’s head football coach, merchandise sales on the school’s online team store increased 1,220% in September 2023 versus September 2022, the university confirmed to Front Office Sports. Year-to-date (January through September), sales are up 51%.

Additionally, out-of-state applications to the school are up 40%, according to Colorado chancellor Philip DiStefano, who calls Sanders’ presence in Boulder “transformational,” per TIME.

TIME also reports that Sanders and his personal team are working on a half-hour comedy about his career with Kevin Hart’s media company.

“People are drawn to hope,” Sanders said. “We’re pulling people in, man, that just want a chance to be seen, to be heard, to be noticed, to be recognized.”

Sanders’ impact on Colorado’s largest university has been immense.

The substantial viewership numbers for the Buffaloes’ games have led to over $45 million in earned media for CU, per Apex Marketing Group. The school has cashed into a 42% year-over-year increase in sponsorship revenue.

Additionally, the high-profile nature of Colorado’s games drove a $14 million increase in ticket revenue over 2022. Celebrities — from Lil Wayne and LeBron James to Matthew McConaughey and Jay-Z — have popped up at Folsom Field.

FOS newsletter co-author David Rumsey contributed reporting for this story.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Chiefs, Royals Stadium Plans Hit Political Wall As Both Parties Say No

Both Republicans and Democrats in Missouri oppose public funding for stadiums.
Rangers Football Club

49ers Venture Arm Buys 2nd Soccer Team With Rangers FC Deal

49ers Enterprises also owns Premier League club Leeds United.
Mar 28, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mississippi Rebels forward Jaemyn Brakefield (4) rebounds over Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) and Mississippi Rebels guard Matthew Murrell (11) in the second half of a South Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena.

SEC Increases Court Storming Fine to $500K—With Caveat

The SEC used to fine schools $500,000 as a third-time offense.

Featured Today

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.
May 30, 2025

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.
May 25, 2025

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 24, 2025

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.

Brett Yormark: Big 12 Puts Private Equity and Naming Rights on Pause

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is shifting his conference’s strategy.
May 29, 2025

Brian Kelly Pushes for SEC–Big Ten Alliance. Would It Widen the Gap?

A deal, if completed, would further strengthen college football’s two titans.
May 29, 2025

Former Seton Hall Baseball Player Sues Over Sexualized Hazing

The student says the coach knew about the hazing and failed to act.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
Mar 16, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) drives to the basket as Memphis Tigers forward Nicholas Jourdain (2) defends during the first half at Dickies Arena.
May 28, 2025

Prospects Picking College Over NBA Draft at Record Rate

The 2025 NBA draft has its lowest number of early entrants since 2015.
Tennessee pitcher Brayden Krenzel (34) pitches during a NCAA baseball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on May 11, 2025.
May 27, 2025

SEC Stranglehold on College Baseball Continues

SEC schools will host eight of the 16 regionals set to start this weekend.
May 22, 2025

Can Golf Emulate the College World Series Model?

Carlsbad, Calif., is hosting the event through 2028.
May 22, 2025

New CFP Seeding Rewards Rankings, Not Titles—Except on the Paycheck

Last season, only conference champions could earn first-round byes.