Big Ten’s reign pays off with record $1.37 billion distribution to schools

It's good to be the king.

The Big Ten has won three straight football national titles, claimed the women's basketball championship and finally broke its 26-year drought in men's basketball.

The good news keeps coming.

On May 1, the conference announced a $1.37 billion distribution to its 18 member schools for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 ($72 million per school, though Washington and Oregon will earn reduced shares as the conference's newest additions). It's the largest distribution in league history and a $490 million increase from last fiscal year.

"The distributions provide meaningful support to institutions in their continued effort to provide broad-based athletic opportunities to more than 14,000 Big Ten student-athletes," a league-issued statement read.

This reflects the first full year of the Big Ten’s new TV deal, plus added shares for Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon's appearance in the expanded 2024-25 College Football Playoff.

The men's and women's basketball NCAA tournaments are likely expanding to 76 teams and the Big Ten is pushing for a 24-team CFP, so don't expect the financial spigot to turn off any time soon.