ESPN reports the attendance as 11,508. Let's say that the ticket price was $100. I know that the men's tickets were $90, so I am clearly high here, but it will help prove the point.
That is $100 x 11,508 for a total gate of $1,150,800.
The site gets the concessions, so the NCAA has to pay the facility rental and the people who staff the game, plus the money which is given to each school for participating out of the above.
After that really how much is left as profit? Does it really matter if 10,000 or 5,000 or 2,000 people are at the game? (I know that on the mens side if only 5,000 seats were available more demand would be created and it would be easy to double the ticket price, thus generating the same revenue. Would the case be the same for the women? Not sure.)
My point: I seriously doubt that the NCAA is making money from the on-site attendance. I contend that the major revenue stream comes from the TV contract. Compared to that the on-site money is a drop in the bucket.
(Just saw the USA article today with this quote: "But as the NCAA basketball tournament's
Final Four gathers here this week — capping a three-week showcase that
generates more than $771 million a year in television rights alone..."
Source:
NCAA president: Time to discuss players getting sliver of revenue pie - USATODAY.com)