“Totally Earned”: Deion Sanders’ $250K Windfall From Colorado Buffs Hailed as ‘Unique Coach Prime Effect’

Deion Sanders is getting paid what he’s worth! After a season that brought a lot of attention to the University of Colorado, Coach Prime is seeing some serious payback.

Last year, Deion received a hefty $250,000 bonus from Athletic Director Rick George. This wasn’t for coaching wins but for the massive national recognition he brought to the program. We’re talking millions of eyes on the Buffaloes and an enormous boost in their marketing reach.

David, host of the “David Talks Buffs” show, put it perfectly: “The amount of exposure was bigger than anything…it’s great to see CU recognizing this.” He joked that even coaches with proven win records wouldn’t have generated this buzz. “It’s hard for me to even say if Nick Saban came coaching this team last year, that we’d see ourselves on big noons in college game day throughout the season. I really think that this is the unique Coach Prime effect and he has totally earned this bonus,” David added.

And the numbers back it up. In just one year, coach Prime single-handedly brought in a whopping $343 million in “earned media value” for the Buffaloes! That’s a massive jump from the measly $87 million they saw in media revenue the year before he arrived.

But the benefits go beyond media hype. The University of Colorado is seeing a record number of applications – over 68,000 this fall alone!  Deion’s star power even led to sold-out home games for the second year in a row.

Sure, the team’s record last year wasn’t stellar (4-8), but the money is definitely rolling in, all due to Deion! And his previous year’s feat seems just a sample.

Deion Sanders fuels Buffs’ viewership last year

Deion Sanders is sure a media magnet! While his first season at the University of Colorado didn’t end with a winning record (it was still better than their previous 1 win season!), it was filled with hype and national attention. Last year, Colorado ended up having 25 of the most-watched games of the season!

One of the biggest matchups was their game against CSU after a jab from their coach, Jay Norvell. When Norvell dissed Deion, saying, “When I talk to grown-ups, I take my hat and my glasses off,” the rivalry exploded. This led to a massive viewership for the CU Buffs vs. CSU game, peaking at 11 million viewers and finishing with 9.3 million — becoming ESPN’s fourth most-watched regular season game!

This media frenzy wasn’t unique. Oregon’s Coach Dan Lanning also swiped at Deion, suggesting he focused on media attention more than winning. Despite losing to Oregon, the Buffaloes game still pulled in a whopping 10.03 million viewers.

Ex-QB Robert Griffin III summed it perfectly: “Every team that played Colorado last year played their hardest against them because they knew everyone was watching and it was their opportunity to shine in front of the masses.” Thus, win or lose, Deion Sanders is guaranteed one thing: massive media attention. Now, all eyes are on the Buffaloes’ season opener against North Dakota on August 29. Will Coach Prime continue to dominate the airwaves?