Even with its new TV deal not yet underway, no conference made more money than the Big Ten in the 2023 fiscal year.
According to tax returns obtained by Sportico, the conference earned $880 million from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, beating out the SEC's $853 million for the most revenue an athletic conference earned during the fiscal year.
NEWS: The @BigTen earned $880 million in revenue in FY23overtaking the @SEC as highest-earning college conferenceaccording to tax returns obtained by @Sportico.
— Daniel Libit (@DanielLibit) May 20, 2024
Ex-ex-commissioner Jim Delany was highest-paid employee earning $5.8M.
Lots more:https://t.co/TppKkrlBF3
The Big Ten distributed roughly $60 million each to its 14 member schools for the year, adding up to roughly $840 million of the $880 million paid out, with Maryland and Rutgers paid a slightly smaller chunk. That leaves more than $40 million spent on salaries, legal fees, independent contractors and other various expenses.
Former conference commissioner Jim Delaney ate the biggest chunk and was paid $5.8 million in total from incentives, deferred pay and retirement compensation. He was also paid a $400,000 salary as an outside consultant for the league.
Delaney's successor before current commissioner Tony Petitti, Kevin Warren, received a total of $3.7 million. Warren departed from the conference's offices in 2023 to take over as CEO of the Chicago Bears.
Revenues are expected to increase further on next year's report after the Big Ten started its new seven-year, $7 billion media rights deal on July 1, 2023, the first day of the 2024 fiscal year.
