According to Daniel Libit of Sportico, tax reports show the Big Ten took in the $880 million figure between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.

The Big Ten distributed “about $60.5 million” to the 12 longest-tenured members in the conference, according to Steve Berkowitz of USA TODAY. Maryland and Rutgers received “about $2 million less” than the other 12 members of the Big Ten.

READ: Penn State Board of Trustees approves Beaver Stadium renovation before 2027 season

The Big Ten’s revenue earnings allow it to pass the Southeastern Conference for most revenue among college conferences, and the SEC had $853 million in revenue in fiscal year 2023, according to Sportico. The SEC distributed “an average of about $51.3 million” to each of its 14 members.

The Big Ten spent, including its distributions to member programs, “just over $897 million” in 2023 and “operated at a deficit of just over $17.5 million for the year, but still had net assets totaling $247 million,” according to USA TODAY.

Despite retirement in 2020, former commissioner Jim Delaney was the Big Ten’s “highest-paid employee” having received $5.8 million from retirement or deferred compensation and bonus or incentive compensation, according to Sportico. Delaney remains on the conference’s payroll as an outside consultant.

READ: Colorado announces season-ticket sellout for 2nd-straight season

The Big Ten entered a new media rights deal it signed in 2022 worth nearly $7 billion. It reached agreements with CBS, FOX, NBC, NBCUniversal’s Peacock, Big Ten Network and FS1 and will continue through the 2029-30 season.

Now over a year into its new media agreement, the Big Ten will likely see the beginnings of its impact financially. For comparison on revenue between fiscal years 2023 and 2022, the $880 million last year “represent about a 4% increase in total revenue and a nearly 3% increase in per-school payouts” according to USA TODAY.

The Big Ten also saw Tony Petitti take over after Kevin Warren as conference commissioner in May 2023, and Petitti’s pay was not reported because the report only covered the 2022 calendar year, according to USA TODAY.

ALSO WATCH

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Set to launch worldwide on July 19, a full reveal of the modes and features of EA Sports College Football 25 was announced on Friday.

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes will be available in College Football 25, according to a release. Those two modes will allow players “to construct their own powerhouse program as a created coach or vie for the Heisman as a player” in what the video game introduces as CampusIQ, which will be “a suite of features that brings to life the true depth of college football through wide open, fast-paced gameplay across all 134 FBS schools in all areas of the game.”

READ: ESPN, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery introduce Venu Sports streaming service

Over 10,000 players have opted into College Football 25, it was announced in March. Any student-athlete who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used will receive $600 and a copy of the video game.

College Football 25 will also offer “the all-new Road to the College Football Playoff and College Football Ultimate Team” that will “bring fresh online experiences and ways to play.”

“EA SPORTS College Football is BACK! We’ve felt the passion and anticipation of college football fans every step of the way since we first announced this game, and we’re ecstatic to finally be able to show everyone what we’ve been building,” EA Sports SVP and Group GM Daryl Holt stated in a release. “College Football 25 is built with authenticity at its core, inspired by experiences our fans have loved from our games, and fully evolved to reflect modern college football – all of which will immerse them in the sights, sounds, and true-to-life gameplay of the sport they love.”

READ: Northwestern announces 2024 schedule, will play 2 games at Wrigley Field

READ: ABC, ESPN unveil Weeks 0-1 broadcast schedule

EA Sports unveiled the cover of College Football 25 on Thursday, showcasing Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Colorado defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter. They will star on the covers of the Standard and Deluxe editions.

“Donovan, Quinn and Travis are extraordinary talents who impressed and entertained millions of college football fans on the field last season and are poised to do so again this year,” Holt stated in a release. “We’re proud to be able to incorporate thousands of current athletes in College Football 25, and featuring this trio of playmakers and their iconic college programs on the cover is a perfect fit as we usher in a new era for EA SPORTS and college football. I can’t wait for the world to learn more about the game tomorrow.”

ESPN broadcasters such as Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will “call marquee matchups,” along with other broadcast teams such as Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer and David Pollack will comprise the virtual booth and “take the mic for all other games.”

Among the gameplay features include Homefield Advantage, which will allow players to “through distractions like screen shaking, missing pre-play icons, and moving play art.” Additional features consist of Pre-Snap Recognition and the Wear & Tear System, which means virtual player stamina is affected by more play so it will be important to “manage your players’ health, limit fatigue, assess risk of injury, and avoid on-field mistakes by using strategic substitutions to ensure your players are at their best when it counts the most.”

The traditions within college football that make it one of a kind will be immersed in College Football 25. Along with team mascots and fight songs, the video game will include “unique team run-outs, rivalry rituals, synchronized crowd-chants, loudness meters as well as real game-day audio.”

READ: Colorado-Nebraska primetime kickoff announced for Week 2 matchup on NBC

Dynasty and Road To Glory modes are also offered in the video game alongside Road to the College Football Playoff, where players will “experience a new way to play competitively across consoles” and “earn rank by upsetting the toughest opponents and securing the votes you need to progress and level up divisions,” as well as College Football Ultimate Team.

College Football Ultimate Team will allow players to “build your dream team of college football stars and legends” in Solo Challenges or H2H seasons, and they can test their skill across consoles “in more competitive formats like College Football Ultimate Team Champs and Champs Gauntlet.”

EA Sports College Football 25 is available for pre-order now. According to Matt Brown of Extra Points, the video game will not be available for PC at launch. EA Sports is also offering an MVP bundle on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S that will include deluxe editions of College Football 25 and Madden NFL 25 “with 3-day early access and unlocks a multitude of benefits across both titles.”

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Second-year head coach David Braun and Northwestern will host Ohio State on Nov. 16 and Illinois on Nov. 30 at the home of the Chicago Cubs. The Wildcats are rebuilding Ryan Field across the next two seasons after a historic $480 million gift from the Ryan family, the largest in Northwestern history, and will remain playing home games in the Chicago metropolitan area in 2024.

READ: ABC, ESPN unveil Weeks 0-1 broadcast schedule

READ: Colorado-Nebraska primetime kickoff announced for Week 2 matchup on NBC

The Wildcats will open the season with three-straight home games against defending Mid-American Conference champion Miami (OH), Duke and Eastern Illinois, and those games will be played inside the Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility.

While the Big Ten Conference expands welcoming Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington — all from the Pac-12 Conference — and goes divisionless in 2024, Northwestern will play a nine-game conference schedule including bouts against last season’s College Football Playoff National Championship participants on the road against the defending Pac-12 champion Huskies on Sept. 21 and reigning national title winner and Big Ten champion Michigan on Nov. 23.

Kickoff times and television networks along with additional game information will be announced by the Big Ten office at a later date, according to a release.

READ: Joe Alt cherishes Notre Dame career, hopes to put ‘best foot forward’ with Los Angeles after No. 5 overall NFL Draft selection

Braun and the Wildcats are building on an 8-5 season in 2023 which ended with a 14-7 win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. Braun earned Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading Northwestern on a seven-win turnaround, the largest by any Football Bowl Subdivision team in college football.

Former Mississippi State and Vanderbilt quarterback Mike Wright announced his commitment to transfer and join Braun and the Wildcats last week. Wright is expected to command the starting quarterback competition, and he has over 2,500 passing yards and 20 touchdowns at the college level.

Here is Northwestern’s full 2024 schedule.

Week 1 (Aug. 31) — Miami (OH) at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 2 (Sept. 7) — Duke at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 3 (Sept.14) — Eastern Illinois at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 4 (Sept. 21) — Northwestern at Washington (Husky Stadium)

Week 5 (Sept. 28) — BYE

Week 6 (Oct. 5) — Indiana at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 7 (Oct. 12) — Northwestern at Maryland (SECU Stadium)

Week 8 (Oct. 19) — Wisconsin at Northwestern (Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility)

Week 9 (Oct. 26) — Northwestern at Iowa (Kinnick Stadium)

Week 10 (Nov. 2) — Northwestern at Purdue (Ross-Ade Stadium)

Week 11 (Nov. 9) — BYE

Week 12 (Nov. 16) — Ohio State at Northwestern (Wrigley Field)

Week 13 (Nov. 23) — Northwestern at Michigan (Michigan Stadium)

Week 14 (Nov. 30) — Illinois at Northwestern (Wrigley Field)

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Mike Wright, who played in all 12 games and started three at Mississippi State last season, announced Thursday on social media his commitment to the Wildcats.

READ: Former Rutgers QB Gavin Wimsatt transfers to Kentucky

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, Wright visited Northwestern and was hosted by receivers A.J. Henning, Calvin Johnson II and Bryce Kirtz, who combined for 1,151 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023.

READ: Reports: Former MLB outfielder Monte Harrison joins Arkansas as walk-on wide receiver

READ: Snoop Dogg, Arizona Bowl announce collaboration renaming bowl to Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented by Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop

Wright will enter his fifth season of college football this fall. He arrived at Vanderbilt in 2020 as a three-star recruit from Fayetteville, Georgia. The 6-foot-4, 195 pound quarterback also claimed Woodward Academy’s record in the 200-meter dash.

Wright spent three seasons at Vanderbilt earning 11 starts, 2,067 passing yards, 21 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and a nod as one of the Commodores captains in 2022.

READ: Marvin Harrison Jr. brings ‘consistent and disciplined’ approach to Arizona after No. 4 overall pick in NFL Draft

Overall, Wright has played in 38 games, passing for 2,520 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushing for 1,229 more yards and 10 more scores at the college level.

The talented multi-sport athlete also joined Mississippi State’s track and field team in apiary. He competed in his first track meet Jan. 13 at the Vulcan Invite part of the Bulldogs 4x200m Relay Team.

Wright will use his final year of eligibility with Wildcats head coach David Braun and Northwestern. The Wildcats saw starter Ben Bryant graduate from the program after last season, and backup Brendan Sullivan transferred to Iowa, according to ESPN.

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EA Sports announced Monday on social media that “10,000+” student-athletes “are in the game.” It was announced in February that any player who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used in the game will receive at least $600 and a copy of “College Football 25.”

READ: 5 takeaways from the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine 

“10k and counting… pretty pretttyyy good,” @EASPORTSCollege posted on X.

All 134 Football Bowl Subdivision schools will be available to play in the new video game.

READ: Texas WR Xavier Worthy breaks 40-yard dash record with 4.21 time at NFL Combine

ESPN broadcasters such as Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit will make up “the voices” of “College Football 25.”

If a player doesn’t opt into the “College Football 25” video game, then “a generic avatar based on the traditional strength or weakness of a position over the past decade for that school” will be created by EA Sports, according to ESPN.

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College football players around the country shared on social media Thursday their participation in the upcoming EA Sports video game “College Football 25.”

EA Sports confirmed Thursday that all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams will be available to play in the new game.

READ: Reports: CFP discusses 14-team Playoff possibilities

More information about the game will be available in May, according to a release.

Players such as Michigan’s Will Johnson and Ohio State transfer Quinshon Judkins posted on X a graphic designed in their team’s colors promoting the video game.

ESPN broadcasters such as Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit shared posts confirming they’ll also appear as “one of the voices” of the game. Herbstreit posted “I’m so excited to FINALLY announce that I’m part of @EASPORTSCollege. I’m proud to be a partner and one of the voices of the game once again – my 14th year in that role.”

According to Michael Rothstein of ESPN, any player who opts in and has their name, image and likeness used in the game will receive at least $600 and a copy of “College Football 25.”

Additional opportunities such as advertisements, promotion, social media posts and other avenues will be available for players to have a chance to make more, according to ESPN.

READ: Alabama announces JaMarcus Shephard, Nick Sheridan join offensive coaching staff

No Football Championship Subdivision school will be available to play when the game launches, according to ESPN.

If a player doesn’t opt into the “College Football 25” video game, then “a generic avatar based on the traditional strength or weakness of a position over the past decade for that school” will be created by EA Sports, according to ESPN.

According to Ryan Kryska of The Associated Press, users who could create and add players of real-life college football players who did not opt into the “College Football 25” video game will be blocked from doing so.

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The College Football Playoff Selection Committee released its final rankings of the season on Sunday, and they delivered a Playoff feature No. 1 Michigan battling No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl and No. 2 Washington taking on No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl. 

READ: Stat Pack: Week 14

As non-Playoff teams were selected into other bowl games, matchups began to take shape all across the Power 5 conferences. 

Each of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Southeastern conferences will take part in bowl season. The ACC leads the way with 11 bowl games. 

The Big 12 is close behind at 10 bowl games, while the Big Ten has nine and the Pac-12 and SEC both have eight. 

Here is the full list of Power 5 bowl games this season. 

Atlantic Coast Conference (11) 

76 Birmingham Bowl: Duke versus Troy  

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Miami versus Rutgers  

Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 5 Florida State versus No. 6 Georgia 

DIRECTV Holiday Bowl: No. 15 Louisville versus USC  

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: North Carolina at West Virginia  

Military Bowl Presented by GoBowling.com: Virginia Tech versus Tulane 

Pop-Tarts Bowl: No. 18 NC State versus No. 25 Kansas State 

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl: Syracuse versus South Florida 

TaxSlayer Bowl: No. 22 Clemson versus Kentucky 

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Georgia Tech versus UCF 

Wasabi Fenway Bowl: Boston College versus No. 24 SMU 

Big 12 Conference (10) 

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Iowa State versus Memphis 

CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Texas versus No. 2 Washington 

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: West Virginia versus North Carolina 

Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Kansas versus UNLV  

Pop-Tarts Bowl: No. 25 Kansas State versus No. 18 NC State 

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Texas Tech versus Cal 

Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Texas versus No. 2 Washington 

TaxAct Texas Bowl: No. 20 Oklahoma State versus Texas A&M 

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: UCF versus Georgia Tech 

Valero Alamo Bowl: No. 12 Oklahoma versus No. 14 Arizona 

Big Ten Conference (9) 

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Rutgers versus Miami  

CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Pres. By Prudential: No. 1 Michigan versus No. 4 Alabama  

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: No. 17 Iowa versus No. 21 Tennessee 

Chick Fil A Peach Bowl: No. 11 Penn State versus No. 10 Ole Miss  

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 7 Ohio State versus No. 9 Missouri 

Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota versus Bowling Green 

ReliaQuest Bowl: Wisconsin versus No. 13 LSU 

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: Northwestern versus Utah 

TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Maryland versus Auburn 

Pac-12 Conference (8) 

CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Washington versus No. 3 Texas 

DIRECTV Holiday Bowl: USC versus No. 15 Louisville 

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Cal versus Texas Tech 

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: Utah versus Northwestern 

Starco Brands LA Bowl: UCLA versus Boise State 

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: No. 19 Oregon State versus No. 16 Notre Dame 

Valero Alamo Bowl: No. 14 Arizona versus No. 12 Oklahoma 

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl: No. 8 Oregon versus No. 23 Liberty 

Southeastern Conference (8) 

Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 6 Georgia versus No. 5 Florida State 

CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game Pres. by Prudential: No. 4 Alabama versus No. 1 Michigan 

Chick Fil A Peach Bowl: No. 10 Ole Miss versus No. 11 Penn State  

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 9 Missouri versus No. 7 Ohio State 

ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 13 LSU versus Wisconsin 

TaxAct Texas Bowl: Texas A&M versus No. 20 Oklahoma State  

TaxSlayer Bowl: Kentucky versus No. 22 Clemson 

TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Auburn versus Maryland 

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Braun served in the interim role after former head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired after hazing allegations were uncovered. 

“We asked Dave to support our student-athletes this season, and he has done an exceptional job,” Northwestern University President Michael Schill stated in a release. “Under his guidance, Northwestern’s football team has exceeded expectations on the field and excelled in the classroom. The turnaround he has led, under very difficult circumstances, is nothing short of phenomenal.” 

PODCAST: Week 12 could shape up conference championship game match-ups 

The Wildcats are 5-5 this season with a 3-4 record in Big Ten play. They’re tied for second in the conference’s West Division. 

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Fitzgerald is seeking $130 million, according to multiple reports, from Northwestern after he was suspended in July and later fired after hazing allegations were uncovered. 

PODCAST: Setting the scene for a solid week six

According to Andrew Seligman of The Associated Press, Chicago-based attorney Dan K. Webb announced the filing of the lawsuit on Thursday. 

Webb said Northwestern fired Fitzgerald with “no new facts, no new developments whatsoever, zero,” according to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. 

Additional money is sought, Webb said, for “infliction of emotional distress, future lost income and punitive damages, according to Seligman. 

According to Tom Schad of USA Today, Northwestern violated an “oral contract” that included that Fitzgerald wouldn’t face additional punishment other than the two-week suspension and an issued positive statement about the football program.

READ: Reports: North Carolina’s Walker ruled eligible for 2023 season by NCAA 

A copy of the lawsuit was obtained by Schad of USA Today and is available here. 

A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 7, according to Seligman. The lawsuit was filed in Cook County, Illinois. 

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Harbaugh will begin the year on a self-imposed suspension lasting the entirety of Michigan’s nonconference schedule, multiple sources confirm to Josh Henschke of Maize&BlueReview. 

The suspension comes eight days after “hurdles arose” in the agreement between the NCAA and Harbaugh over consequences of Harbaugh’s false statements to investigators. 

Harbaugh initially received a four-game suspension after alleged Level II NCAA violations that Harbaugh and his staff met with recruits during a “so-called dead period,” according to multiple reports. 

The NCAA case was slated to move toward the 2024 season in regards to Harbaugh’s original suspension. He will now miss the first three games of the 2023 season after all.

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The Big Ten Conference is set to expand to 18 programs beginning in 2024 after Oregon and Washington announced plans to join the conference in early August. 

According to Amie Just of the Lincoln Star Journal, Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts foresees further conference expansion and the need to prepare for something that hasn’t halted in recent years. 

“It’s more likely than not that there will be continued periods of angst,” Alberts said. “I believe that the next go-around — that’s my basic conclusion — will be far more disruptive than anything we’re currently engaged in.” 

Just also reported that Alberts said “concerns are valid and they’re real” regarding the effects that student-athletes will deal with in a new college athletics environment under the latest rounds of expansion. Student-athletes in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern conferences among others will travel cross-country more than before. 

Alberts focused much of his vision for college athletics based on the television deals conferences are agreeing to, according to Just. Alberts said the cable bundling model “is falling apart,” leading to more emphasis on streaming-based opportunities. 

The Pac-12 Conference, which has been left with four teams after five schools announced their departures, has been near the center of media deal news since the calendar turned to August. 

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff presented conference presidents and chancellors with an Apple TV-based media deal that would have required the sales of subscriptions. The proposed plan didn’t work out, and now the Pac-12 is faced with a number of crucial directions to go. 

Nebraska is familiar with expansion efforts; the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten in 2011. 

And in the current state of college athletics, it appears Alberts and Nebraska expect more dominoes to fall in the latest round of realignment. 

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The 19th-year Buckeyes athletics director who is a native of Cleveland first arrived at Ohio State in April 2005. He’s spent nearly two decades guiding the Buckeyes and being a leading voice in the Big Ten Conference. 

“I want to thank the leadership of The Ohio State University during my tenure for providing me the opportunity to serve as Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletic Director for the past 18 years,” Smith stated in a release. 

Smith has also served as athletic director at Eastern Michigan, Iowa State and Arizona State. He cited spending more time with family among his reasons for his impending retirement.

Some of Smith’s accomplishments include the creation of the Eugene D. Smith Leadership Institute which includes Bucks Go Pro programs and internships for Buckeye student-athletes. Ohio State has also achieved 369 individual and 115 team conference championships during Smith’s tenure. 

Smith and his colleagues at Ohio State’s development team since 2005 have also raised more than $930 million, which represent over 77% of all funds raised for Ohio State athletics all-time, according to a release. 

Smith also currently serves on the NCAA NIL Working Group, as student-athletes received the right to profit from their name, image and likeness during his tenure in July 2021. He also served on the College Football Playoff Committee from 2017-20. 

Ohio State will see a change atop its athletics department on the cusp of the Big Ten expanding from 14 to 18 teams through the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington. 

Smith’s retirement will also come on the heels of a historic media rights agreement made by the Big Ten in August 2022. 

Among a number of changes since Smith took the position at Ohio State, Smith wants to make sure the next athletic director is ready for the current, ever-changing landscape of college athletics. 

“I have always believed that a leader seeks to be the right person at the right time in the life of the institution,” Smith stated in a release. “I believe that July 2024 is the right time to welcome new leadership to build upon what we have achieved and continue to build upon the great tradition of excellence in athletics and business advancement at Ohio State.”

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