Michigan football’s spring practice trip to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., which drew considerable criticism from SEC and ACC commissioners and coaches, and also praise for being “creative,” cost the athletic department nearly $350,000.
The team departed Feb. 28, held the first four practices at IMG, including the final one on March 4, which was open to the public, and returned March 5.
Michigan spent $348,553 for the trip, with the biggest chunk – $146,912 – for renting the IMG training facility. The team did not charter a plane and flew commercial, while non-coaching staff members drove to Florida, and the total for airfare was $107,148, according to a numbers released Friday by the university in response to an open-records request by The Detroit News.