As Xavier University tips off against the University of Texas Friday night, it'll be more than an NCAA Sweet 16 showdown.

It'll be a national television marketing opportunity for the meal ticket of XU athletics.

The Musketeer men's basketball program earned more than $2.9 million in profits during the 2002-03 school year, according to U.S. Department of Education figures. For you bottom-line types, that was from revenue of $5.42 million and expenses of $2.52 million.

That supported all of XU's other sports. Overall, the athletics department posted revenue of $5.72 million and expenses of $6.98 million, for a "loss" of about $1.26 million. That gap is filled by the university.

Men's basketball and football have supported other sports for years at every big-time program. But the numbers are getting a lot bigger.

XU officials obviously hope the publicity of last week's upset of No. 2 seed Mississippi State and Friday night's regional semifinal will help the bottom line through more corporate or sponsorship connections.

"We're in one of those situations where we're fortunate enough to fill our arena already," XU athletic director Mike Bobinski said. "But it certainly can't hurt."

In case you're wondering, the University of Cincinnati's basketball program earned about $1.40 million - revenue of $4.57 million versus expenses of $3.17 million - in 2002-03. The entire UC athletic program finished about $750,000 above the break-even level, according to the Department of Education figures.

Around the world

Procter & Gamble Co.'s board of directors will meet in April in Beijing.

The maker of Tide, Folgers and Bounty has made a habit of placing its directors' meeting once a year in a location away from the Cincinnati headquarters. For example, the meeting has been in Geneva, site of P&G's main European offices.

"There's a tradition of getting the directors out somewhere to connect with a different part of the company," a P&G spokeswoman said. China is one of P&G's fastest-growing markets.

Enter and win?

Local nonprofit agencies have another shot at $25,000 worth of free advertising creative work this year, courtesy of Barefoot Advertising.

The agency, based in Longworth Hall near downtown, is offering the two grants to cover billable agency time. Nonprofit groups have until April 1 to apply.

Last year, the winners were Ten Thousand Villages and the League for Animal Welfare.

For information: www.barefootadvertising.com.

E-mail cpeale@enquirer.com