UCLA throws its athletic department a $30-million lifeline, but deficit deepens

Even a major infusion of cash from UCLA could not prevent its athletic budget crisis from deepening.

In a departure from previous years, when it provided negligible direct institutional support, the school gave its athletic department $30.06 million during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. But the Bruins’ yearly deficit of $51.85 million reflected their ongoing challenges in balancing their budget amid a rapidly changing college sports landscape.

It’s the sixth consecutive year that UCLA’s athletic department has run in the red, its deficit over that span totaling $219.55 million. The university will cover the latest deficit, as it has in the past and does with other campus departments.

“The college athletics model is in the midst of a profound shift,” a UCLA athletic spokesperson said in a statement. “Adapting to changes from conference realignment to NCAA deregulation has resulted in growing expenses for programs across the country. We continue to prioritize our student-athletes by increasing our support and investment into their well-being, development and pursuit of academic and athletic excellence while providing a first-class experience for them, as well as for our fans and supporters.”

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Significant relief could finally be on the way a year from now. UCLA’s move to the Big Ten is expected to come with a media rights payment estimated at between $65 million and $75 million, not to mention another massive infusion of cash from the conference’s College Football Playoff and NCAA tournament appearances.

Of course, UCLA has already committed to sharing as much as $23 million a year in revenue with athletes as part of the House settlement with the NCAA — should it be finalized — and will also have to pay sister school California a $10-million subsidy over each of the next three years because of discrepancies in revenue between their athletic departments.

UCLA’s total operating expenses of $179.89 million reflected a $29-million increase from the previous fiscal year, largely as a result of roughly $15 million in investments related to the school’s preparations for its transition to the Big Ten Conference. The Bruins built a studio on campus for Big Ten Plus broadcasts and increased expenditures for academic support, meals and counseling services, among other things.

After the NCAA deregulated coaching positions, allowing for bigger staffs, UCLA added 15 new assistant coaches — 13 in the Olympic sports and one each in men’s and women’s basketball. The football team also hired a general manager, added several analysts and expanded its recruiting staff.

UCLA also paid additional travel expenses for trips to Honolulu and to the East Coast for its basketball teams.

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UCLA’s total operating revenue of $119.04 million was up $14 million from the previous fiscal year, mostly because of the massive gift from the institution. But there were also some factors preventing that number from going even higher. The school received $7 million less from the Pac-12 than the previous year at a time when it was on the verge of withdrawing from the conference.

UCLA also received $6 million less from Learfield than it did the previous year as part of its media rights deal. The school has since transitioned to JMI Sports.

Ticket sales decreased $3.78 million, largely as a result of two fewer home football games than the previous year and the cross-town rivalry game against USC being played at the Coliseum. Donor gifts were down by $1.66 million, possibly in part because donors shifted resources to UCLA’s name, image and likeness endeavors.