Big Ten Crushes It on the Field and in the Bank
Powerhouse Performances in Big Ten Conference, Boasting a Monumental Financial Upsurge on the Field and Beyond
Get ready to cheer for more than just touchdowns in the Big Ten Conference! With their recent victory in the 2025 National Championship game, the Big Ten isn't just dominating on the field, they're slaying it off the field too.
Their latest financial report displays a whopping $928 million in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year, an impressive surge compared to the previous year. This colossal boost is thanks to new television agreements, pushing the Big Ten to dish out a mind-boggling $63.2 million to each of its 12 schools. That's a 5.5% increase in revenue and a 4.5% rise in the distribution for every school!
And the best part? Revenue is expected to soar even higher as the benefits of expansion and realignment kick into high gear.
(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Record-Breaking Revenues Ahead
The 2025 fiscal year is set to bring the Big Ten another massive windfall. With the addition of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, the conference is expected to rake in between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion! This means that every member school might pocket around $75 million in distributions, although Oregon and Washington will continue to receive less for a few more years due to their prorated agreement.
SEC? Pffft, Can't Compare
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) might have reported around $850 million in revenue in 2024, but it's no match for the Big Ten's financial prowess. And, projections suggest that the SEC's revenue will cross $1 billion by the 2025 fiscal year, thanks to the addition of Texas and Oklahoma. Nevertheless, the Big Ten remains the undisputed leader in conference finance.
The SEC could potentially become a little less meek by embracing an offer from ESPN to add a ninth conference game, which could bring in an additional $70 million in revenue. But even with this boost, the SEC is highly unlikely to catch up to the Big Ten’s projected figures for the 2025 fiscal year.
Realignment Shake-Up
With college football being one of the biggest television draws in the country, networks love featuring big-name teams going head-to-head. This lingering fascination with major matchups may pave the way for even larger super conferences or the complete elimination of conferences as we know them. But only time will tell what the future holds!
In summary, the Big Ten Conference is raking in the cash, giving its member schools a hefty boost in revenue, while the SEC struggles to keep up. With new television deals and strategic realignment, the Big Ten is poised to become the first conference to reach $1 billion in revenue, caressing its throne of financial dominance.
- The Big Ten Conference's revenues are anticipated to reach record-breaking heights in the 2025 fiscal year, with projections of between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion, thanks to the addition of USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington.
- Every member school might receive around $75 million in distributions, although Oregon and Washington will continue to receive less for a few more years due to their prorated agreement.
- Despite the Southeastern Conference (SEC) reporting around $850 million in revenue in 2024, it is no match for the Big Ten's financial might and is highly unlikely to catch up to the Big Ten’s projected figures for the 2025 fiscal year.
- The SEC could potentially increase its revenue by embracing an offer from ESPN to add a ninth conference game, which could bring in an additional $70 million in revenue.
- The future of college football could see the emergence of larger super conferences or the elimination of conferences as we know them, with major matchups being highly sought after by networks for their television draws.
