Sacramento State Joins Mid-American Conference, Touts Questionable Economic Impact

University president cites $975 million in projected economic benefits, but experts raise doubts about the math.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Sacramento State University has announced it is joining the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in football, with hopes of an economic windfall for the school and region. However, the $975 million in projected economic impact over five years appears unsupported by the consulting firm's study, which relies heavily on a metric dismissed by experts as outdated and flawed.

Why it matters

Sacramento State's move to the FBS level and MAC conference is a high-stakes gamble, as the university is running a deficit and subsidizing the majority of its athletic department's budget through student fees and university funds. Exaggerated claims of economic impact could undermine the credibility of the program's financial viability and plans for a new or renovated stadium.

The details

The study conducted by Collegiate Consulting cited $600 million in projected economic impact over five years from broadcast exposure, based on a metric called advertising value equivalency (AVE) that experts say is outdated and does not accurately reflect actual economic activity. The university president, Luke Wood, announced a higher figure of $675 million in broadcast-related impact, which the consulting firm said did not come from their report. Wood defended his calculations, but the public disagreement raises questions about the reliability of the economic projections.

  • Sacramento State announced its move to the Mid-American Conference in football last week.
  • The university is aiming to make its FBS debut against USC on August 29, 2026.

The players

Luke Wood

President of Sacramento State University, who announced the university's move to the FBS level and cited the $975 million in projected economic impact.

Mark Orr

Athletic director at Sacramento State University, who discussed the university's expectations for increased corporate partnerships and ticket sales from national exposure.

Victor Matheson

Economics professor at Holy Cross and past president of the North American Association of Sports Economists, who criticized the university's reliance on outdated metrics to estimate economic impact.

Sal Della Monica

Executive vice president of strategic integration and marketing at the public relations firm Mike WorldWide, who said the advertising value equivalency metric is "absolutely outdated" and not a real indicator of economic value.

Russell Wright

Founder of Collegiate Consulting, the firm that conducted the economic impact study for Sacramento State, who acknowledged the limitations of such estimates.

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What they’re saying

“You're trying to put a dollar value on something you don't easily have a price tag on.”

— Victor Matheson, Economics professor (latimes.com)

“They're conflating appearing on TV and losing 52-7 to Bowling Green with a targeted ad designed to actually bring people to Sacramento to spend money and spend tuition dollars. They are conflating just being on TV with actual advertising.”

— Victor Matheson, Economics professor (latimes.com)

“The industry moved away from AVE a long time ago. It's absolutely outdated, and not a real indicator of economic value.”

— Sal Della Monica, Executive vice president (latimes.com)

“Unless there's something actionable after the fact it's not really economic impact, it's more economic valuation.”

— Russell Wright, Founder, Collegiate Consulting (CBS Sports)

“I wonder how that was asked of him. Over five years is exactly what I said. I'm a professor. I've done economic impact studies. Multiplying that number by five years is perfectly appropriate.”

— Luke Wood, President, Sacramento State University (latimes.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.