Football turned a $3.89 million profit, but if the University of Hawaii’s sports teams were individual companies, women’s volleyball would have been the school’s best per-dollar moneymaker in the last fiscal year.

For each dollar spent, the Rainbow Wahine returned $2.02 in gross revenue to the athletic department, according to figures made available by the school.

Football brought in $1.50 gross revenue for each dollar spent and men’s volleyball $1.35.

The only other sports in the 19-sport program (women’s track and cross country are combined as one for budget purposes) producing more than they spent for the fiscal year that concluded June 30, 2010, were men’s basketball at $1.22 per dollar spent and baseball at $1.09.

"We’re glad that five of our sports appear to be showing profits on direct revenues and expenses," athletic director Jim Donovan said. "The coaches and staff have done a good job keeping (expenses) under control."

Because of that, Donovan said UH is forecast to come in under initial projections of a $2 million deficit on a $27.6 million budget when figures by an independent auditor are completed.

He said the department is on track toward less than a $1 million deficit for the current fiscal year that closes June 30, 2011. "We’re heading in the right direction, finally," Donovan said.

UH has run at a deficit for eight of the past nine fiscal years, with the 2007 Sugar Bowl campaign and the $4 million Bowl Championship Series money it produced providing the exception.

The unaudited figures for individual sports are based on what UH terms direct and allocated revenues and direct and allocated expenses. For example, on the revenue side, ticket sales, camp earnings, TV and radio rights, NCAA and Western Athletic Conference disbursements, shares of concessions, merchandise and corporate partnerships are among the areas that may be included. UH Foundation funds are not included.

On the expense side, coaches salaries, scholarships, equipment, travel and some facility costs may be among those included.

Administrative salaries and operations as well as shared services (trainers, academic counselors, facilities personnel etc.) and expenses are not reflected in the numbers.

Football spent $7.7 million and brought in $11.6 million, with the $3.89 million profit helping to underwrite several nonprofit producing sports.

But football also operates with the largest number of scholarships (85), biggest roster (105), largest full-time coaching staff (10) and, unlike arena sports and baseball, does not share in concession revenue from Aloha Stadium, where it plays its home games.

Football was credited with $498,664 in WAC disbursements and was assigned the biggest share of corporate partnerships ($535,052). It also was assigned the lion’s share of the TV ($1.92 million) proceeds since it was the major driver of pay-per-view revenue. It was assigned $238,983 from the radio contract and $130,000 from its UnderArmour logo agreement.

The WAC champion Rainbow Wahine volleyball team produced a $1.18 million profit on revenues of approximately $2.2 million and expenses of $1.09 million.

The Rainbow Wahine were also credited with $428,042 in corporate fundraising, $92,000 for court-side seating and $133,308 from concessions. It was expensed $135,622 for Stan Sheriff Center operations.

Men’s basketball — $2.5 million revenues and $2.075 million expenses for a $464,441 profit — was aided by $432,499 in NCAA and WAC disbursements.

Donovan said he was particularly encouraged by the showing of men’s volleyball, which showed a $259,350 profit, and baseball, which came in at $122,948.

"They are trending positively for the future," Donovan said.