Sacramento State’s $23 million ticket to the FBS came with a hefty price tag, but the hidden fees in the fine print are proving to be just as punishing. After Northern Illinois moved to the Mountain West Conference, Sacramento State finally made its way to the MAC, entering the league officially on July 1, 2026. But even after making a heavy investment, they are on the verge of paying another 6-figure amount.

The agreement officially becomes final on February 13. The amount included a $5 million fee to officially move its football program to the FBS level and $18 million to the MAC over the next five years to be part of the league.

Sacramento State will first pay $6 million at the start of the agreement. After that, it will pay $3 million every year. But the spending doesn’t just stop there. Even after those earnings, the team will not receive any money from the conference’s TV deals for five years. They will have to pay for their travel costs and then a hefty $205k amount every year to MAC for membership and bowl-related fees, as per The Athletic’s Chris Vannini’s reports on X.

While the $23 million entry fee grabs headlines, the hidden $205,000 annual MAC surcharge quietly drains resources. Compounded over five years without any conference television revenue, this six-figure burden forces Sacramento State to fund its own postseason and membership costs entirely out of pocket.

Well, that’s a lot of money to gain recognition around the globe. Their president, Luke Wood, believes moving the football program to a bigger stage will bring more attention and opportunities to the school. In this new NIL era, teams make such moves for relevance, and some of the programs actually get their benefits. James Madison moved from FCS to FBS and joined the Sun Belt Conference, entering the playoffs this season.

But not every school’s gamble paid off. Some programs that moved to the top level of college football did very well. For example, Boise State became a nationally successful team after moving up. But other schools, such as Idaho, struggled at the higher level and eventually moved back down to the lower division.

Adding an unexpected $37 six-figure annual athletics bill is another issue behind the $37 million university budget deficit. While the football program writes recurring checks for MAC membership, the academic side is reeling due to staff layoffs and has sparked fierce campus protests over financial priorities.

As per reports from Collegiate Consulting, President Luke Wood confirmed that the move could create about $975 million in total economic impact over several years. He also said it could increase national TV value to $675 million and bring about $46 million in activity on game days. However, the actual study estimated about $194.4 million in economic impact per year.

However, the company’s CEO, Russell Wright, described the $975 million number as a “mischaracterization” of their study. This raises the critical question of how the university plans to generate the revenue needed to offset these high costs.

Sacramento State’s way of earning money

Sacramento State hopes to make more money in different ways to support its move to the FBS. The university recently took back control of food sales, parking, and merchandise from a private company. This means the school will now keep more of that money. Leaders also believe the program will earn more because the team will get more attention and visibility at the higher level.

Another way the school can earn money is through game guarantees. For example, Sacramento State earned about $375,000 to $400,000 for playing a road game at Fresno State last season. The university is also trying to improve campus engagement with football, as the program has over 30,000 students, but only about 3,200 live on campus.

For now, the team wants to have a success arc similar to Boise State’s. Boise State started as a junior college in 1932 and did not reach the top level of college football (FBS) until 1996. Since then, Boise State has had strong success. The team has won 13 bowl games and lost 10, won three Fiesta Bowls, and built a strong national reputation. Because of this success, Boise State was invited to join the Pac-12 Conference starting in 2026. Sacramento State hopes its football program can grow and become successful in a similar way.

Recouping a $23 million investment, compounding six-figure annual MAC fees, through $400,000 game guarantees presents a pretty steep mathematical climb. The over-reliance on scattered payday games and internal sales is a massive gamble for a campus with minimal residential student engagement to drive game-day revenue constantly.