How waning Wisconsin football fan interest impacts Badgers’ next budget

Wisconsin’s 2026-27 budget projects about $203.3 million in revenue and expenses – up 2.2% from what was budgeted in 2025-26.

Areas of revenue growth include the recently approved $14.6 million of taxpayer funding, media rights income from the Big Ten and less money being transferred back to the rest of the university.

UW budgeted roughly $11 million to go back to the university in 2025-26. That is down to $7.3 million in the 2026-27 budget.

“Athletics has long been a net financial contributor to campus, and while this report reflects a continued flow of funds between our division and campus, it has been adjusted to be very close to a net-neutral flow,” Barnes said. “So revenues and fees sent from athletics to campus will closely resemble the tuition remission that campus provides back to athletics.”

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With the $14.6 million in taxpayer funding arriving for athletic facility debt service, UW is increasing its budgeted debt service payments from $13.6 million in 2025-26 to $15.3 million in 2026-27.

Empty seats are shown during the first quarter of the Wisconsin - Washington football game Saturday, November 8, 2025 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin’s increased investment in football shows with salary costs

Former Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh pledged additional resources for the football program when he reaffirmed his support for beleaguered coach Luke Fickell. Some of those efforts have been evident with the start of Badger Athlete Partners, an expanded Learfield initiative focused on NIL.

It also is evident in how much UW will pay in the “salaries and fringes” category of the budget. It increased by 8% from $76.5 million in the 2025-26 budget to $82.7 million in the 2026-27 budget.

“It’s been well-documented that we are increasing our investment in football, and this is one area where that is tangibly playing out,” Barnes said. “Approximately half of this budgeted increase in our salaries and fringe line relates either to contractual increases within football and additional football staff.”

The expanded football staffing includes additional position coaches that are already on campus for spring practices and more positions for recruiting and scouting. A 2% raise for state and UW employees – part of the 2025-27 budget – also led to the higher salary total.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How waning Wisconsin football interest impacts Badgers’ 2026-27 budget