Crow’s football math leaves out a $20 million-plus district estimate. On FOX 10 Crow guessed the program cost “a million and a half,” but the district’s 2018 estimate, cited on his own Change4Maricopa slate’s website, says facilities could eventually need more than $20 million.
On FOX 10 Talks, asked what the football program cost, Crow said, “Let’s say it’s a million and a half,” and said players’ tuition brought in about $1.1 million, arguing the district cut enrollment and revenue when it cut the program.
“Let's say it's a million and a half. … But you have a million, 1.1 million thereabouts in tuition from the athletes that are playing there. None of them are on full rides. So you cut enrollment. You cut revenue when you cut the program.”
Crow’s “million and a half” leaves out the one-time capital costs: the district’s 2018 estimate, cited on his own Change4Maricopa slate’s website, that the programs could eventually need more than $20 million in capital improvements.
Context
The host had said Crow told him during a break that the better question about football was why it was not saved. The district’s 2018 figures, cited in the article on the Change4Maricopa slate’s own site, were about $770,000 a year for four programs, plus more than $20 million that could eventually be needed for facilities. Quote shortened and repeated words dropped; the cut, a short interjection that may be the host’s, is marked with ….
Sources: FOX 10 Talks with John Crow and Ryan Caracciolo, September 15, 2026 (FOX 10 Phoenix) Change4Maricopa on Instagram: “Featured on FOX 10 Xtra!” (Instagram, @change4maricopa) Change4Maricopa: article by Linda Brickman Screenshot Frame from FOX 10 Talks. From left: Ryan Caracciolo, John Crow and two FOX 10 hosts at a round desk. Crow says: “Let's say it's a million and a half. … But you have a million, 1.1 million thereabouts in tuition from the athletes that are playing there. None of them are on full rides. So you cut enrollment. You cut revenue when you cut the program.”

