UW athletics projects $19M budget deficit amid Big Ten transition and rising costs

The University of Washington (UW) unanimously voted to approve the university’s operating budget for the 2026 fiscal year (FY26)

The UW Board of Regents approved the budget, which included a $19 million negative cash flow projection for the school’s intercollegiate athletics department.

Breaking down UW’s operating budget

As the UW has begun its early years in the Big Ten Conference, stadium renovation debt, rising athletic travel costs, and the House v. NCAA antitrust settlement remained key factors in the university’s operating budget decisions.

The university projected it will make $158 million in revenue throughout FY26; however, the Huskies expect $198 million in operating expenses, according to The Seattle Times.

To make up for the deficit, the UW athletic department requested additional loan assistance and extensions, which include:

• A $17.7 million loan from the university’s capital assets pool program.
• A financial stability plan waiver extension.
• A $10 million interest-free loan from the Big Ten.
• Institutional support from non-state and non-tuition sources.

The four requests were approved as the operating budget proposal was approved.

“Taken together, the total bottom-line cash flow remains budgeted at break-even,” UW Vice President of Finance and Budget Strategy Jason Campbell said, The Seattle Times reported.

Looking at UW’s sources of revenue

The athletic department’s FY26 operating budget listed that a majority of the school’s revenue will come from $46 million in ticket sales, $44 million from NCAA and conference distributions, and $42 million from charitable donations.

The UW athletic department expects to raise $48 million in donations throughout FY25, while the university’s initial donation projection was only $36 million.

Additionally, the university projects to spend $74 million on salaries, $18 million on athletic aid, $44 million on sports operations, and $41 million on administrative operations.

UW travel expenses have also increased beyond their estimate, noting an expectation of $23 million in team travel and game expenses, which ultimately cost the UW $27 million during its first year in the Big Ten.

While the UW was a member of the Pac-12, the Huskies spent an average of $18 million per year on team travel and game expenses from FY22 until FY24.

The recent House v. NCAA antitrust settlement, which includes a salary cap of $20.5 million paid by each university to its student-athletes, was also included in UW’s athletic budget, and Athletic Director Pat Chun intends that the UW will share the maximum amount.

The athletic department currently owes more than $240 million toward previous stadium renovations, which accounts for roughly 12% of the university’s internal lending program.

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