Regaining financial stability top priority for ASU athletics in 2021-22

Arizona State football played just four games. Men's and women's basketball failed to make the NCAA Tournament. Baseball experienced unprecedented injuries contributing to a coaching change.

It's easy to write off ASU's 2020-21 athletic year even before news last week that football is facing an NCAA investigation for alleged recruiting violations.

But the ramifications of a full COVID-impacted year are substantial, particularly given the loss of most football revenue on top of pandemic losses in the final three months of 2019-20 with the cancelation of the NCAA basketball tournaments and spring sports championships.

ASU athletics reported a $10.9-million deficit for 2019-20 in its annual…