Attendance and revenue trends raise questions, but school leaders and MAC officials continue to express confidence.

KENT, Ohio — While Ohio State football makes tens of millions of dollars every year, smaller schools across Northeast Ohio — such as the University of Akron and Kent State University — continue to struggle. Revenue and attendance figures uncovered by 3News Investigates reveal both programs are losing support and games year over year.


THE COMPETITIVE GAP IS WIDENING

Thanks to the reigning champion Buckeyes, the state of Ohio remains the center of the sport until a new national champion is crowned. Just two hours north of Columbus, Akron and Kent State keep chasing hope despite years of struggles.

“We’re really excited,” claimed Akron’s senior quarterback Ben Finley. “The main thing is we’ve just got to keep this vibe and how excited everyone is in the locker room.”

“You’ve always got to have that confidence, to be ready to compete at any time, really,” Kent State wide receiver Da’Shawn Martin agreed. “Just staying confident and believing in the work we put in.”

Winning big continues to pay off: Attendance records show Ohio State drew more than 936,000 fans at home games during the 2024 season and reported $254 million in athletic revenue to the NCAA.

The Buckeyes averaged 104,000 fans per game last fall. By comparison, the Zips and Golden Flashes didn’t draw that many across their entire seasons.

In 2024, Kent State averaged 8,447 fans per game while Akron averaged 6,374 — both ranking among the lowest of the 136 Division I FBS programs. Trends are also worsening: KSU’s attendance has dropped 35% over the past decade, and Akron’s has fallen more than 25%.

The play on the field hasn’t helped: The Zips finished 4-8 a year ago (their best record in six seasons), while the Flashes bottomed out at 0-12 and are currently in the midst of a 21-game losing streak.

3News asked the head coaches at both schools how they plan on putting fans back into seats.

“For the fans — or the people not associated with Akron — when they come see us play, we’re going to be well-prepared. The kids are going to play hard,” pitched Akron head coach Joe Moorhead, who is entering his fourth season leading the Zips.

“Kent State is a small-town community. That’s Northeast Ohio to me, is community,” explained Kent State interim head coach Mark Carney. “We need to be ambassadors for our university and in our community. … We’ve got to be proud to wear the Varsity K.”


FOOTBALL FINANCES

There’s also a taxpayer element involved when evaluating the two programs. Akron and Kent State receive money every year from Ohio’s general revenue fund. If both teams are losing money on football, is that a good use of taxpayer dollars? Can these programs survive long-term?

3News Investigates took that question to Mid-American Conference leadership and Akron’s new athletic director.  

“I don’t know that it’s changed from where we were a decade ago. We’re always working on thin margins, and yet somehow, someway, we figure out ways to do it,” reasoned Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, who has served as commissioner of the MAC since 2009. “We need to collaborate as bigger groups. That will facilitate greater economic return.”

Dr. Andrew T. Goodrich, who became Akron’s AD this past May, assured the school’s football program was “100% sustainable.”

“We are still going to be able to get the student-athletes that we always got, the same caliber student-athlete that we had in the past,” Goodrich explained, noting that the cost of college rosters in the NIL era has exploded mostly toward the top of the game. “So I actually think, as we sit here today in 2025, we are better positioned than we’ve ever been to be sustainable and be competitive.”

No one offered specific financial details, but the broader landscape is clear: Top programs now spend $20 million-$30 million a year for elite talent. Smaller schools were never in that market. At Akron and Kent State, the focus remains on slow, incremental growth.

“It’s going to take commitment from our constituents, right? Our alums, our fans that buy the brand of Kent State and want to continue to build on what’s already been established,” Carney admitted.


WHAT’S THE FIX?

If Akron and Kent State are ever forced to make significant changes or shutter their football programs, it won’t be next season. Rebuilding brands takes years, but the spark of change can start small, and current players hope to be part of history and a long-term solution.

“We’ve got to win,” Finley grinned. “People don’t want to go to a game where their home team’s losing. We’ve got to win games and we’ll pack that stadium once we get a few good wins under our belt.”

The road ahead is challenging, but both programs say the climb is worth it. That belief is where the future begins.

Akron began its 2025 season with a 10-0 home loss to Wyoming Thursday night. Kent State will kick things off against FCS Merrimack Saturday afternoon at Dix Stadium.