How The Top Football Colleges Bring In $13.1 Billion a Year
The top football colleges collect billions of dollars in revenue each year, with more than $13 billion flowing into athletics programs across the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
But where does all that money come from? From lucrative media rights to ticket sales, athletics at top football colleges draw revenue from a wide range of sources.
This visualization, created in partnership with Terzo, breaks down the categories of athletics funding within the FBS, which is the classification for athletics programs with the highest-profile college football competition. It’s part of our Markets in a Minute series that delivers quick economic insights.
A Breakdown of Revenue at Top Football Colleges
Conference/NCAA distributions, media rights, and post-season football make up 27% of revenue. In particular, TV rights generate big dollars for teams.
The Big Ten Conference, which includes the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines, has TV rights worth more than $1 billion annually. Similarly, the Southeastern Conference’s media deal generates roughly $710 million each year.
Beyond college athletics, it’s worth noting that media rights also play a large role in the global market value of the sports industry.
| Category | 2025 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Revenue |
|---|---|
| Conference/NCAA Distributions, Media Rights, and Post-Season Football | $3.5B |
| Donor Contributions | $2.7B |
| Ticket Sales | $1.9B |
| Institutional/Government Support | $1.9B |
| Corporate Sponsorship, Advertising, Licensing | $1.0B |
| Student Fees | $740M |
| Competition Guarantees | $178M |
| Other Revenue | $1.0B |
| Total | $13.1B |
Source: Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database. Based on revenue for the 2024-2025 fiscal and academic year. Data represents total athletics program revenue at public institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and excludes Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools. Other revenue is from the following: compensation and benefits provided by a third party; game program, novelty, parking and concession sales; sports camps and clinics; athletics restricted endowment and investments income; and other operating revenue. Category numbers may not sum to total due to rounding.
The second-largest category of revenue is donor contributions. This includes donations from individuals, companies, associations, foundations, clubs, or other organizations. Among these donors are famous billionaires such as Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban and Nike founder Phil Knight.
Following donations, ticket sales and institutional/government support both amounted to nearly $2 billion in revenue. The latter includes funds the university or college provides to athletics, along with the value of indirect university support, such as administrative services and free use of athletics facilities.
The Economics of College Athletics
Athletics teams at top football colleges get their money from a variety of sources, making them less vulnerable to drops in any one area. However, expenses have been rising faster than generated revenue, meaning reliance on student fees and government/institutional support is increasing.
Both on and off the field, every revenue and expense stream matters. Terzo helps finance and procurement teams uncover savings across suppliers, contracts and invoices.
Uncover 10% or more annual cost savings with Terzo.
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- Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/ter02-how-top-football-colleges-bring-in-13-1-billion-a-year/
