Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, reported $2,765,990 in expenditures for women’s basketball teams in 2024—$2,233,064 above the state average of $532,926, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
This spending represented 7.1% of the university’s total outlay for sports teams in 2024.
Northeastern University’s overall sports-related expenditures have grown 75% since 2010.
Alongside football, basketball remains one of the nation’s most popular college sports, attracting large followings and television audiences rivaling those of the NBA. Major events like March Madness draw millions of viewers each year.
College sports is undergoing major changes after a federal settlement enabled schools to share revenue directly with athletes for the first time. The agreement also requires the NCAA to pay $2.8 billion over 10 years in back damages to athletes who played from 2016 onward.
In 2022, following legal and legislative developments, athletes were granted the right to earn income from their names, images and likenesses under new NCAA policy and state legislation.
The NCAA earned around $900 million in revenue from media rights tied to the 2024 March Madness and Division I men’s basketball tournament, making basketball its top revenue generator.
| Year | Basketball team’s expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $2,236,288 | 7.4% |
| 2021 | $2,019,077 | 6.9% |
| 2022 | $2,486,695 | 7.3% |
| 2023 | $2,785,868 | 7.7% |
| 2024 | $2,765,990 | 7.1% |
Information in this report comes from the U.S. Department of Education. Access the source data here.
