Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio reported a $395,204 expenditure for men’s basketball teams in 2024—$1,128,283 less than the Texas state average of $1,523,487, figures from the U.S. Department of Education show.
This represented 8.6% of the school’s total athletic budget that year.
The university’s total sports spending has climbed 133% since 2010.
Basketball remains among the nation’s most popular college sports alongside football, as leading NCAA programs attract sizable fan engagement and television audiences comparable to those of the NBA. Featuring high-profile events such as March Madness, millions tune in annually.
Recent changes in college athletics now allow schools to share revenue directly with players after a federal settlement. The agreement calls for $2.8 billion in back pay to athletes competing since 2016, spread over a 10-year span.
Starting in 2022, athletes were permitted to earn money from their names, images and likenesses through certain state laws and changes to NCAA policy following legislative and legal developments.
The NCAA earned close to $900 million from March Madness and Division I men’s basketball tournament media rights for fiscal year 2024, making basketball its largest revenue stream.
| Year | Basketball team’s expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $324,768 | 10.5% |
| 2021 | $343,435 | 10.6% |
| 2022 | $436,498 | 9.7% |
| 2023 | $513,372 | 9.1% |
| 2024 | $395,204 | 8.6% |
