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COLUMBIA, Mo. — In Desiree Reed-Francois’ first year as Missouri athletics director the athletics department operated at a budget surplus for the first time in six years, pulling in a record total for MU athletics revenue at more than $141 million during the 2022 fiscal year.

MU athletics also spent a record amount of money — more than $125 million — but the $15 million surplus marks a stark contrast from five consecutive years of operating at a deficit under past leadership.

Mizzou’s financial data comes from the school’s annual submission to the NCAA Membership Financial Reporting System, obtained this week by the Post-Dispatch through an open records request.

Mizzou’s athletics revenue for the 2022 fiscal year (July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022) included Eli Drinkwitz’s second year as football coach, a 6-7 season, and Cuonzo Martin’s final year as men’s basketball coach. Athletics revenue increased from $110,458,144 in the 2021 fiscal year to $141,157,028 this past year. One factor was a dramatic uptick in ticket sales as MU home venues re-opened at full capacity following the coronavirus pandemic. With Memorial Stadium, Mizzou Arena and other on-campus facilities fully open, ticket revenue climbed from $3,574,357 in 2021 to $13,929,479 in 2022 — but still fell short of the pre-pandemic total of $16,124,731 during the 2020 fiscal year.

Donor contributions also increased under Reed-Francois’ watch, from $24,589,042 to $29,512,444.

MU reported a major increase in revenue from direct institutional support, from just more than $1 million in 2021 to $12,030,003 in 2022.

Mizzou’s Southeastern Conference bowl revenue distribution nearly doubled in 2022, increasing MU’s payout from $4,617,196 to $8,038,060. That’s because in 2021 the SEC withheld part of MU’s bowl revenue as part of its 2019 postseason ban for NCAA academic violations.

Mizzou’s media rights revenue, which accounts for all revenue for radio, TV, internet, digital and e-commerce rights, dropped slightly from $38,280,619 to $36,749,503.

MU also saw a spike in revenue from royalties, licensing, advertisements and sponsorships, from $793,870 in 2021 to nearly $8 million in 2022.

The biggest decrease in revenue came from Mizzou’s SEC distribution, down from $29,868,483 the previous year to $4,826,827. There’s a good reason for that: In May 2021, the SEC distributed $23 million in supplemental revenue to each school to help mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, using future earnings from its media rights contract to allocate those funds to each school.

Mizzou’s other sources of revenue only changed at marginal rates.

As for athletics spending, Mizzou spent the most on personnel: $22,072,515 on coaching salaries, benefits and bonus pay — an increase from $20,200,329 in 2021 — and another $23,740,954 for support staff and administration pay, up more $5 million from 2021.

After playing limited schedules during the pandemic year, spending on guaranteed games in nonconference play increased from a little more than $500,000 to $3,805,228.

Mizzou’s spending also saw a sharp rise, from $5,182,764 to $8,478,803.

MU spent far less on athletic facilities debt service, leases and rental fees, down from $28,306200 in 2021 to $15,888,580 last year, though department-wide overhead increased by nearly $4 million to $16,116,694.