Rebuild the Badgers, Not Just the Roster
How Wisconsin fell behind in college football's new market, and how to make the rebuild last
Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy
How Wisconsin fell behind in college football's new market, and how to make the rebuild last
It is a budget story. WI competes in markets with a budget model built for a slower world. The state effectively constrains what the university can charge and directly limits what it can borrow.
Wisconsin football posted back-to-back losing seasons (5-7, 4-8) for the first time since 1991-92. We trace the collapse to the NIL era's structural transformation — and the economic effects are already emerging in Dane County.
UW-Madison’s Badger Football program serves as a critical revenue engine for the Athletics Department, generating roughly $60 million in annual profits. Yet, its on-field performance has declined sharply.