Wisconsin athletic department ends fiscal year in line with budgetary goals

MADISON – In April, Gov. Tony Evers signed legislation that provided annual funding to the University of Wisconsin athletic department.

The impact of that money could be seen in the athletics budget report presented at the UW athletic board meeting Oct. 21 at Camp Randall Stadium.

UW athletics closed the 2026 fiscal year with its expenses in line with its revenue in its $198 million budget. A key piece to the Badgers staying on schedule financially was the $13,366,364 it received from the state for debt service appropriation.

Wisconsin finished the year with $181,600 more in revenue than expenses, according to the report senior associate athletic director and chief financial officer Adam Barnes gave to the board.

Here are some of the wins for the athletic department that were highlighted in the report.

• The concerts at Camp Randall and the Kohl Center were huge successes, generating $12.3 million or about 2½ times more than projected.
• Having three Big Ten teams in the College Football Playoff (Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon) played a large role in UW receiving almost $4 million more than was expected from the conference.
• There was about $2.3 million more than expected from licensing, merchandising and the University Ridge Golf Course.
• The department spent about $3 million less than expected on operating expenses.
• The department saved about $1.7 million because the football team did not have the expenses that come with playing iin a bowl game.