Michigan Athletics Projects Balanced Budget for Fiscal Year 2026
6/12/2025 4:52:00 PM | General, Athletic News
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan Athletic Department is projecting a balanced budget for the 2026 Fiscal Year as presented to the Board of Regents on Thursday (June 12). Michigan's revenues and expenses for the year are expected to be $266.3 million after receiving $15 million in support from the University.
The university is providing these funds to athletics during a time of great change in college athletics. Revenue sharing with student-athletes and additional scholarships associated with the House settlement will add $26.7 million to the 2026 fiscal year budget: $20.5 million to fully participate in revenue sharing and approximately $6.2 million in new scholarships.
Michigan Athletics is dependent on home football games to provide a large portion of the revenue necessary to sustain its financial success. With a six-game schedule at Michigan Stadium this fall, revenue from spectator admissions is projected to decrease by $19.1 million during the upcoming fiscal year compared to the revenues associated with the eight home games in 2024 (fiscal 2025).
Key elements of Michigan's 2026 fiscal year budget are:
• The addition of approximately $26.7 million in new expenses related to student-athlete revenue sharing and scholarships.
• Conference distributions are expected to increase by $5.8 million mainly due to additional revenue from the TV networks.
• $1.7 million in net revenues from the Zach Bryan concert at Michigan Stadium.
• Salaries, wages and benefits are projected to increase by $6.5 million, due in large part to an increased budget for performance bonuses as compared to the previous year's projected expenditure.
• An annual transfer to the university is projected to decrease by $6.1 million.
Based on preliminary results, the athletic department projects an operating surplus of $2.8 million for the current fiscal year due to an increase in revenues as compared to budget as well as savings in compensation expenses.
Michigan Athletics achieved a high level in the classroom, with 485 student-athletes receiving Academic All-Big Ten Conference accolades. A total of 41 student-athletes earned All-American honors as of June 11. In addition, the Maize and Blue had 94 student-athletes earn All-Big Ten accolades, with seven student-athletes winning individual conference championships.
In the competitive arena, Michigan had its men's gymnastics team win the national championship as six Big Ten regular-season and tournament crowns were won by field hockey, men's basketball, women's tennis, softball and men's gymnastics.
