Seattle Pacific University spent $809,196 on men’s basketball in 2024, $419,850 less than the Washington state average of $1,229,046, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
This figure represented 13.4% of Seattle Pacific’s sports-related expenditures in 2024.
The university’s overall sports expenses have risen 20.4% since 2010.
Basketball continues to rank among the most popular college sports nationally, alongside football, drawing sizable fan bases and television audiences comparable to NBA levels. Tournaments such as March Madness bring in millions of viewers annually.
The college athletics landscape is changing as a federal settlement now allows direct school compensation for athletes. As part of the agreement, the NCAA will pay $2.8 billion over 10 years in back damages to athletes who competed from 2016 onward.
Athletes gained the ability to earn money from their name, image and likeness in 2022 after years of mounting legal and legislative pressure and an NCAA policy revision.
The NCAA reported nearly $900 million in revenue for the 2024 fiscal year from March Madness and Division I men’s basketball media rights, making the sport the association’s largest income generator.
| Year | Basketball team’s expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $956,912 | 11.9% |
| 2021 | $807,123 | 12.1% |
| 2022 | $852,009 | 13.8% |
| 2023 | $940,170 | 14% |
| 2024 | $809,196 | 13.4% |
Information in this report comes from the U.S. Department of Education. You can view the source data here.
