Warner Pacific University in Portland, Oregon, dedicated $208,313 to its men’s basketball teams in 2024—a figure that is $904,177 under the state average of $1,112,490, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education.
This sum represented 9.2% of the university’s total athletic spending for sports teams in 2024.
Warner Pacific University’s total sports expenses have grown by 104.9% since 2010.
Basketball remains among the top collegiate sports in the United States alongside football, with leading NCAA programs drawing large crowds and TV ratings comparable to NBA games. Events like March Madness consistently attract millions of viewers.
College sports have moved into a new era with direct athlete compensation after a federal settlement approved direct revenue sharing with players for the first time. The settlement also requires the NCAA to pay $2.8 billion in retroactive damages over a decade to athletes who played from 2016 onward.
In 2022, following persistent legal and legislative efforts, athletes gained the ability to benefit financially from their names, images and likenesses after changes to state laws and NCAA policy.
The NCAA earned approximately $900 million from March Madness and associated Division I men’s basketball tournament media rights in fiscal year 2024, making basketball its top revenue generator.
| Year | Basketball team’s expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $183,164 | 9.2% |
| 2021 | $137,877 | 6.8% |
| 2022 | $92,340 | 8.1% |
| 2023 | $139,999 | 8.9% |
| 2024 | $208,313 | 9.2% |
Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Department of Education. The source data can be found here.
