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# Worth every penny
- URL: https://www.redeyebr.com/worth-every-penny/
- Published: 2026-03-26T21:04:07.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-26T21:04:07.000Z
- Description: Why Kim Mulkey is worth far more than the bottom line
- Author: JR Ball
- Tags: Analysis, News

Kim Mulkey's Tigers tip off against Duke tonight at 9 p.m. in the Sweet 16—and the run to San Antonio is doing what Mulkey's program has done since she arrived in 2021: making everyone remember that Baton Rouge exists.

The program carries an $8 million annual operating deficit, a number that surfaces every time someone wants to pick a fight about women's sports spending. The deficit argument misses the point entirely.

**Why it matters:** A city with a perception problem can't afford to undersell its wins.

**What the numbers actually show:** Ticket revenue has grown eightfold under Mulkey. Donor contributions quadrupled before the Tigers even won the 2023 national championship. Corporate sponsorships are running 25% above budget department-wide. The title game drew 9.9 million viewers—the most-watched women's college basketball game in history.

**What the balance sheet can't capture:** Angel Reese landed a Mercedes. Flau'jae Johnson signed with Roc Nation and holds a $1.5 million NIL valuation. Amazon cut its first-ever college athlete commercial featuring two Tigers. Shaquille O'Neal executive-produced a Prime Video docuseries set in Baton Rouge.

**The bottom line:** AD Verge Ausberry said it plainly: "Ticket sales drop off a cliff if she's not here. Corporate partners lose visibility. Broadcast interest wanes."

Tonight they won't. The Tigers are dancing, the brand is bigger than it's ever been, and an $8 million line item has never looked more like a bargain.

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