As New Jersey wrestles with a record‑high state budget and a structural deficit, Gov. Mikie Sherrill faces stiff resistance to most proposed spending cuts — with one notable exception.
A majority of voters say Rutgers University’s football program should get a big funding cut.
A new poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University found broad voter support for reducing state aid to Rutgers football, even as residents remain divided over cutting K-12 school aid, higher education funding and property‑tax relief programs.
The poll found 67% of voters said they support cutting state money for the Rutgers football team. Just 31% opposed a cut.
The sentiment crosses party lines, with 64% of Democrats and 72% of Republicans backing a reduction in football funding at the state university.
Rutgers officials declined to comment.
The poll results follow reporting by NJ.com showing the Rutgers athletics program received an estimated $40 million in state funding over the past several years under former Gov. Phil Murphy. By comparison, the program received about $100,000 over eight years during the administration of former Gov. Chris Christie.
Despite that increase in public support, Rutgers athletics reported a $78 million shortfall for fiscal year 2025, part of a broader $516 million cumulative deficit, NJ.com previously reported.
“Regardless how we slice this thing, it’s got to get better,” Rutgers Athletic Director Keli Zinn said earlier this year of the program’s finances.
The football team finished with a 5-7 record overall last season, going 2-7 in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights missed out on a chance for a bowl bid in a 40-36 loss to Penn State in December.
State support for the football team comes in addition to student fees, conference revenue and other university budget allocations used to fund athletics.
Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, the Rutgers program has posted three winning seasons, compiling a combined record of 52-93.
“At a time when belts are tightening everywhere, it’s hard to justify tax dollars being spent to support a college football team,” said Dan Cassino, executive director of the FDU Poll. “But voters might be happier about the subsidies if they were winning more games.”
The poll was conducted from March 20-28 with 805 registered New Jersey voters. The margin of error was plus-or-minus 3.4 percentage points.
NJ.com staff writers Keith Sargeant and Brian Fonseca contributed to this report.
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