Southern University at New Orleans dedicated $251,762 to men’s basketball teams in 2024, placing the university $1,230,726 below the state average of $1,482,488, based on figures from the U.S. Department of Education.
This spending represented 24% of all money directed toward sports teams at the university during the year.
Since 2010, the school’s total spending on athletic programs has risen by 30.5%.
Basketball remains among the most followed collegiate sports in the country, along with football, with top NCAA programs boasting substantial fan bases and TV viewership rivaling NBA levels. Each year, tournaments like March Madness capture the interest of millions.
College sports has transitioned to a new chapter of direct athlete compensation after a federal settlement enabled schools to share revenues with players for the first time. This agreement also includes a $2.8 billion payment, spread across ten years, being distributed as back damages to athletes who competed from 2016 onward by the NCAA.
Following extended legislative and legal activity, athletes in 2022 gained approval to earn compensation from name, image and likeness deals after changes in state law and NCAA policies.
The NCAA earned approximately $900 million in fiscal year 2024 from Division I men’s basketball tournament media rights associated with March Madness, marking basketball as its dominant revenue source.
| Year | Basketball team’s expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $285,282 | 43.5% |
| 2024 | $251,762 | 24% |
Information for this article was provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Source data is available here.
