CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Big Ten is now a nearly $2 billion business, fueled largely by TV revenue from league and national network contracts, ticket sales at some of the largest stadiums in college football, donations and royalties.
Spending last school year ranged from $102 million at Purdue to $220.6 million at Ohio State, cleveland.com found in its annual review of financial reports filed with the NCAA.
OSU, which fields more teams with more athletes than any other school in the Big Ten, dwarfed the others in total expenses. Michigan was next closest at $191 million, then Penn State ($160.4 million), Wisconsin ($154.6 million) and Iowa ($146.3 million).
In total, the 13 public universities in the Big Ten reported expenses of $1.81 billion during the 2018-19 school year, up 4.6% from $1.73 billion a year earlier. Private Northwestern does not share its NCAA financial reports. But even a low estimate of what Northwestern likely spends would place the league total over $1.9 billion.
A big chunk of the money covered the cost of athletic scholarships. But scholarship costs both grew at a slower rate and paled in comparison to the cost of pay and benefits for coaches, administrators and staff, cleveland.com found.
The scholarship costs increased 2.5% in reaching $218.4 million last year at the 13 reporting schools. Yet pay and benefits for coaches at the same schools increased 6.5% to $321.6 million, and the cost for administrators and staff increased 5.6% to $330.5 million, the NCAA reports showed.
Allowing athletes to profit from their involvement in collegiate sports - beyond receiving scholarships - has become a topic of higher interest over the last several months.
California last fall became the first state to legalize cash payments to college athletes for endorsement deals, starting in 2023. The NCAA board of governors then agreed to begin looking a rule changes, in part at the urging of OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith.
And in Washington, former OSU wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez, a Republican congressman from Rocky River, is working on federal legislation that would at least ease restrictions that keep student athletes from gaining lucrative endorsement contracts.
Unlike at many of the so-called mid-major schools, such Akron, Kent State and Ohio University competing in the Mid-American Conference, nearly every Big Ten school is able to cover nearly all or all its athletic expenses from athletic money.
The two main exceptions, according to the latest reports filed with the NCAA last month, are the newest members - Maryland and Rutgers.
Maryland used $12.4 million from student fees and another $13.2 million in what was called “direct institutional support” for sports, accounting for 23% of its athletic budget of $108.8 million. Direct institutional support, according to the NCAA form, is to include any state, tuition, federal work study and endowments not specified for sports.
Rutgers spent $12.2 million in student fees and $17.7 million in other university support on athletics, accounting for 29% of the school’s sports budget of $103.2 million.
The biggest revenue sources for sports leaguewide, according to the 13 reports, were:
* Media rights: $494 million (27%).
* Tickets: $367.4 million (20%).
* Contributions: $288.6 million (16%).
* Royalties, licensing: $185 million (10%).
Wisconsin led for media revenue ($56.1 million), Ohio State for tickets ($59.9 million), Iowa for contributions ($35.4 million) and Michigan for royalties and licensing ($28.2 million).
Overall, the 13 schools fielded 327 sports teams with a total of 9,025 athletes. This included 36 teams and 956 athletes at Ohio State.
The equivalent of 4,231 scholarships were split among 6,752 athletes. Football and basketball players usually receive full scholarships, as well as women’s volleyball, tennis and gymnastic athletes. Competitors in other sports typically receive partial scholarships. Limits are set by the NCAA.
Below are details for each of the 13 public Big Ten universities.
Read previous stories
* Ohio State athletics lost money in 2018-19: How much? Why two reports show different numbers
* $192 million in student fees, other school subsidies for sports at Ohio Division I public universities - Details for Akron, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Cleveland State, Kent State, Miami, Ohio, Toledo, Wright State and Youngstown State.
* Why University of Akron outpaces other Ohio schools in subsidizing its sports program
Illinois
Total expenses: $120,168,951.
Ticket revenue was $11,834,000, including $6,109,768 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $24,494,900, media rights including TV of $46,038,743, and royalties and licensing of $5,597,786.
Illinois has 21 teams with 483 athletes. A total of 262.03 scholarships were split among 479 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $13,213,336.
Coaching pay and benefits: $20,507,183 This included head coach pay and benefits of $4,582,664 for football, $3,635,450 for men’s basketball and $593,614 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $23,313,644.
Severance to coaches or staff was $1,072,768.
Indiana
Total expenses: $114,822,135.
Ticket revenue was $18,437,143, including $6,805,288 from football and $11,157,181 from basketball. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $28,324,559, media rights including TV of $43,641,941, and royalties and licensing of $10,559,785.
Indiana has 24 teams with 642 athletes. A total of 314.19 scholarships were split among 499 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $16,378,764.
Coaching pay and benefits: $20,362,015 This included head coach pay and benefits of $2,228,882 for football, $3,823,085 for men’s basketball and $800,486 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $21,931,493.
Severance to coaches or staff was $229,540.
Iowa
Total expenses: $146,282,275.
Ticket revenue was $27,178,942, including $22,251,258 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $35,411,331, media rights including TV of $45,140,661, and royalties and licensing of $10,654,727.
Iowa has 24 teams with 663 athletes. A total of 303.46 scholarships were split among 467 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $13,682,144.
Coaching pay and benefits: $25,372,882 This included head coach pay and benefits of $6,037,155 for football, $2,788,697 for men’s basketball and $1,355,707 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $21,001,526.
Severance to coaches or staff was $0.
Maryland
Total expenses: $108,785,924.
Ticket revenue was $13,393,324, including $5,939,467 from football and $6,318,340 from basketball. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $11,260,573, and royalties and licensing of $8,849,627. Maryland didn’t report any money for media rights, but instead reported $42,241,886 from conference distributions.
Maryland has 20 teams with 520 athletes. A total of 295.82 scholarships were split among 455 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $17,354,652.
Coaching pay and benefits: $18,437,351 This included head coach pay and benefits of $2,122,674 for football, $3,096,245 for men’s basketball and $1,291,034 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $17,106,942.
Severance to coaches or staff was $8,374,768.
Michigan
Total expenses: $190,952,175.
Ticket revenue was $53,794,401, including $46,326,363 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $34,976,525, media rights including TV of $43,664,941, and royalties and licensing of $28,210,652.
Michigan has 29 teams with 912 athletes. A total of 372.02 scholarships were split among 588 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $27,827,160.
Coaching pay and benefits: $34,146,672 This included head coach pay and benefits of $8,667,529 for football, $4,008,509 for men’s basketball and $886,704 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $37,975,701.
Severance to coaches or staff was $408,333.
Michigan State
Total expenses: $135,655,740.
Ticket revenue was $28,019,480, including $19,783,743 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $23,389,285, media rights including TV of $43,641,940, and royalties and licensing of $16,489,704.
Michigan State has 25 teams with 715 athletes. A total of 334.3 scholarships were split among 516 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $16,907,149.
Coaching pay and benefits: $24,328,041 This included head coach pay and benefits of $4,692,506 for football, $4,629,529 for men’s basketball and $772,078 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $20,343,193.
Severance to coaches or staff was $291,179.
Minnesota
Total expenses: $129,450,256.
Ticket revenue was $19,932,680, including $9,398,681 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $17,776,802, media rights including TV of $43,716,862, and royalties and licensing of $12,657,227.
Minnesota has 25 teams with 682 athletes. A total of 336.29 scholarships were split among 529 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $13,832,217.
Coaching pay and benefits: $22,273,261 This included head coach pay and benefits of $4,964,018 for football, $3,344,961 for men’s basketball and $537,055 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $21,035,882.
Severance to coaches or staff was $610,268.
Nebraska
Total expenses: $124,148,206.
Ticket revenue was $37,095,376, including $30,154,974 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $6,467,625, media rights including TV of $42,644,834, and royalties and licensing of $27,884,562.
Nebraska has 24 teams with 636 athletes. A total of 304.74 scholarships were split among 477 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $12,653,605.
Coaching pay and benefits: $21,470,303 This included head coach pay and benefits of $5,121,305 for football, $2,819,356 for men’s basketball and $682,814 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $27,305,297.
Severance to coaches or staff was $2,841,924.
Ohio State
Total expenses: $220,572,956.
Ticket revenue was $59,847,907, including $50,550,538 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $29,681,048, media rights including TV of $45,607,941, and royalties and licensing of $22,921,170.
Ohio State has 36 teams with 956 athletes. A total of 435.99 scholarships were split among 718 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $22,070,556.
Coaching pay and benefits: $39,295,656 This included head coach pay and benefits of $7,285,559 for football, $3,212,952 for men’s basketball and $1,211,729 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $38,108,511.
Severance to coaches or staff was $120,438.
Penn State
Total expenses: $160,369,805.
Ticket revenue was $40,968,559, including $36,831,392 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $31,499,197, media rights including TV of $40,148,941, and royalties and licensing of $14,890,040.
Penn State has 31 teams with 852 athletes. A total of 379.32 scholarships were split among 601 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $20,860,088.
Coaching pay and benefits: $31,928,512.
Penn State did not release sports specific pay amounts for coaching pay and benefits, leaving blank that portion of the 2018-19 NCAA form it released publicly. The form currently posted on PSU’s website for 2017-18 is also blank on those pages. Previously, for 2017-18, PSU reported $6,177,012 for head football coach, $1,272,280 for head men’s basketball coach, and $1,083,926 for head women’s basketball coach.
Richard Kaluza, senior associate athletic director of finance and business operations, said in an email that “this information is not considered public record under Pennsylvania law.”
Staff pay and benefits totaled $29,715,573.
Severance to coaches or staff was $319,517.
Purdue
Total expenses: $102,026,477.
Ticket revenue was $13,103,564, including $7,051,792 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $23,676,863, media rights including TV of $43,632,564, and royalties and licensing of $6,761,218.
Purdue has 20 teams with 484 athletes. A total of 252.9 scholarships were split among 389 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $11,450,015.
Coaching pay and benefits: $20,981,810 This included head coach pay and benefits of $4,706,764 for football, $3,493,164 for men’s basketball and $767,736 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $18,483,461.
Severance to coaches or staff was $978,959.
Rutgers
Total expenses: $103,167,344.
Ticket revenue was $10,535,678, including $8,387,569 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $5,578,315, and royalties and licensing of $6,140,882. Rutgers didn’t report any money for media rights, but did report $26,948,590 from conference distributions.
Rutgers has 24 teams with 698 athletes. A total of 313.13 scholarships were split among 533 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $15,560,764.
Coaching pay and benefits: $20,045,400. This included head coach pay and benefits of $2,570,719 for football, $1,923,641 for men’s basketball and $1,233,029 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $19,848,759.
Severance to coaches or staff was $117,158.
Wisconsin
Total expenses: $154,621,828.
Ticket revenue was $33,285,210, including $24,016,186 from football. Other key sources of revenue included contributions of $16,102,509, media rights including TV of $56,114,228, and royalties and licensing of $13,403,386.
Wisconsin has 24 teams with 782 athletes. A total of 327.19 scholarships were split among 501 athletes, an expense to the athletic department of $16,649,822.
Coaching pay and benefits: $22,456,689 This included head coach pay and benefits of $4,137,591 for football, $2,589,743 for men’s basketball and $744,695 for women’s basketball.
Staff pay and benefits totaled $34,291,152.
Severance to coaches or staff was $384,907.
Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. Find other data-related stories at cleveland.com/datacentral.