Women’s collegiate basketball teams in San Francisco County received $4,968,605 in 2024, reflecting a 6.9% spending increase compared with the prior year, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Total funding for basketball teams in the county reached $12,887,454, with $4,968,605 specifically allocated to women’s programs.
Since 2010, San Francisco County’s average athletic expenses have climbed 107.6%.
Basketball is considered one of the most popular college sports in the U.S. along with football, where top NCAA programs generate significant fan engagement and television viewership, rivaling professional leagues like the NBA. Major events such as March Madness continue to draw millions of spectators each year.
A recent federal settlement permits schools to share revenue directly with athletes for the first time, marking a new era for college athletics. The settlement also requires the NCAA to distribute $2.8 billion in back damages over 10 years to athletes who played between 2016 and the present.
In 2022, after significant legal and legislative developments, athletes gained the ability to earn money from their names, images and likenesses due to state-level legislation and changes in NCAA policy.
The NCAA reported approximately $900 million in revenue tied to March Madness and other Division I men’s basketball tournament media rights during the 2024 fiscal year, underscoring basketball’s role as its top revenue generator.
| Year | Basketball team’s expenditures | % from grand total sport team expenditures | Total Sport Team Expenditures |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,968,605 | 10.7% | $46,339,317 |
| 2023 | $4,648,300 | 10.8% | $43,201,108 |
| 2022 | $4,195,934 | 10.7% | $39,040,753 |
| 2021 | $3,121,782 | 11.8% | $26,475,267 |
| 2020 | $3,812,086 | 10.4% | $36,642,730 |
Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Department of Education. The source data can be found here.
