The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association is a private, voluntary association of public, independent and parochial secondary schools from the state of Tennessee. It is recognized by the IRS as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
Who supports TSSAA?
Nearly 60% of TSSAA's annual support comes from gate receipts of postseason tournaments organized by TSSAA. An additional 20% is contributed by many generous corporate sponsors. Only 3% of support comes from dues or fines paid by member schools.
TSSAA receives a portion of every ticket sold in the postseason (district, regional, sectional, state) and participating schools still retain large portions of gate receipts. For example, in the football playoffs, participating teams split 50% of the gate receipts. In other sports, participating teams split between 60-80% of the gate.
More Postseason Financial Information
Where does the money go?
At the present time, nearly 30% of TSSAA's annual support is spent on insurance coverage on students, coaches and TSSAA staff. Between 30-40% of expenditures annually go toward services for schools and officials, conducting tournaments, awards and educational programs. This also includes legal fees and general operating expenses.
Where can I learn more?
The association's audited financial statements are reviewed by the TSSAA Board of Control at its' annual August meeting. Each September, administrators of TSSAA member schools receive a full copy of the financial statements for their review. The financial statements are also filed with the Tennessee Secretary of State. Copies of the association's IRS Form 990 are publicly available through the IRS website or by making a request to the state office.
