USC’s athletic department generated $106.5 million in revenue

A turbulent 2013 football season that included coaching turnover and a trip to a lower-level bowl game did not prevent USC’s athletic department from breaking the $100-million benchmark for the first time, according to a report that must be filed annually with the U.S. Department of Education as part of Title IX compliance.

USC reported total expenses and revenue of $106.5 million for the period covering July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014. That is an increase of $8.7 million from the previous year.

USC’s football expenses increased by about $7 million to $30.3 million. Revenue was $44.8 million, an increase of $1 million.

Former football coach Lane Kiffin was fired in late September 2013, but he and his assistants had multiyear contracts. Steve Sarkisian was hired in December and he hired a mostly new staff.

Some of the increase in football expenses is attributable to the coaching changeover, which requires payments on contracts, said Steve Lopes, chief operating officer for USC’s athletic department.

USC’s home football attendance dropped from about 88,000 per game for six games in 2012 to about 73,000 per game for seven games last season.

But total revenue increased on the strength of “a very good year fundraising,” the Pac-12 Conference’s television contracts and USC’s corporate sponsorships, Lopes said.

Twitter: @LATimesklein