The University of Kentucky Athletics Department will help fund two-thirds of a new academic science building on campus.
UK President Eli Capilouto said this is a first for the university and maybe even the commonwealth.
“We're taking one important step closer to doing something few, if any, athletics programs would even contemplate,” said Capilouto.
Capilouto said the athletic department has always been supportive of the university, but this is the first time they will be contributing to building an academic building.
“We’ve always been supportive of the academic program that is not new,” Mitch Barnhart, UK Athletic Director, said. “I think people have got to remember that... that this not new to us. And we want to continue to be supportive, and this is another way for us to do that.”
The Athletic Department will contribute $65 million toward the $100 million project.
The university states that most of that funding comes from UK Football games, which makes more than any other sport at UK. Administration said the football program makes twice as much as the basketball program.
It’s also rare for an athletic program even make enough money to contribute to academics. According to the NCAA, only 12 percent of college athletic programs are profitable.
