The better the flagship state school athletic department performs, the better they look. The 2015-16 revenue was $79M according to the annual state financial audit. That places them ahead of Oregon State, Wazzu and CU. When they entered the PAC 12, they were dead last in athletic department revenue.
Lawmakers like that kind of success because it justifies their investment in the UU. They are mere mortal, they have egos nd it strokes their egos to have their state school best state schools, in other states.