Big Ten blows past $1 billion mark in media revenue

By any measure, the Big Ten Conference has enjoyed a banner year in 2025-26.

Conference schools already have won nine national championships, including a rare trifecta in high-profile sports football (Indiana), men’s basketball (Michigan) and women’s basketball (UCLA).

Not surprisingly, the Big Ten enjoyed a fantastic year financially as well.

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According to Awful Announcing, Big Ten schools received a total payout of $1.37 billion in the first year of new media deals that took effect in fiscal year 2025, ending on June 30, 2025. That represents a 55 percent increase over the $883 million in media revenue from fiscal year 2024.

Huge payouts for members

The 18 Big Ten schools received an average of $76.1 million, although totals vary based on postseason success and longevity as a conference member.

“Ohio State led all schools with $91.57 million after winning the College Football Playoff title during the 2024 season, while Penn State received $88.92 million after its postseason run,” CBS Sports reported. “Other fully vested members generally received between roughly $76 million and $80 million. Oregon and Washington, still on partial revenue shares through 2030, received $48.4 million and $46.7 million, respectively, according to conference figures.

“The distributions provide meaningful support to institutions in their continued effort to provide broad-based athletic opportunities to more than 14,000 Big Ten student-athletes,” the conference wrote in a release.

According to CBS Sports, the Big Ten’s payouts were larger than those of rival SEC. The SEC reported $1.03 billion in revenue and $72.4 million in school payouts.

Putting cash to good use

It’s not clear exactly when the Big Ten schools received their payouts. But whether they came before the school year began or not, members are putting money to good use in 2025-26.

Beyond the football and basketball crowns, Big Ten teams won national championships in field hockey (Northwestern), men’s soccer (Washington), wrestling (Penn State), men’s water polo (UCLA), women’s ice hockey (Wisconsin) and women’s water polo (USC).