College sports have changed dramatically over recent years when it comes to commercialisation. With larger broadcast deals, sponsorships and the increased pressure to fund better facilities and so on, there’s a real need to boost the coffers.
Unlike the NFL and other professional sporting leagues, there are some exclusions too, which can hamper college sports teams' opportunities to make money. For example, major leagues are really tapping into the gambling industry at present as a big money revenue source, creating deals with a wealth of sweeps casinos, sportsbooks and beyond. That’s not really possible for college teams, which have players in their teams who legally can’t gamble.
Which can make life difficult. But there are options out there that can boost revenue over the next few years and should be considered…
Monetise media and digital content more creatively
Broadcast deals do continue to be the largest revenue driver for college programmes, and there’s a lot of untapped potential there. Many universities have lots of content that never sees the light of day, so why not create a digital media platform that showcases behind-the-scenes footage, training sessions and allows fans to get closer to the players.
Packaging this up into short-form video content and it could be used for subscription-paying viewers, or via social media, with revenue generated through advertising.
It allows teams to not just be reliant on the conference-level TV agreements, but also to provide exclusive footage beyond gameday for fans. There’s the option to tier memberships to monetise that further, something that might come over time and has been popular with national TV streaming services like Netflix and Disney+.
Maximise matchday and campus experiences
Matchday revenue doesn’t just need to be ticket sales and food sales. Teams should look to extend that far beyond, into more merchandise, hospitality packages and even parking.
Investment in the stadium, including faster entry systems, will also encourage fans to spend more time there, contributing to more food and drink and so on, while utilising more advertising throughout will also bring in a steady revenue stream.
What’s more, with college campuses a real hub of the community, pre-match events can help gameday become far more than just the football, but turn it into a full day out, keeping people spending on campus and boosting funds greatly.
Leverage NIL opportunities without losing control of the brand
NIL rights changing over recent years has been a real game-changer and has completely changed the economics of sport. Athletes can now monetise their own personal brands, but colleges can also play a big part in that and amplify those opportunities.
By partnering with them, colleges can attract sponsors who want access to the athletes in a more organised fashion, so rather than seeing NIL as a threat, which many colleges do, athletic departments can position themselves as facilitators, encouraging team-wide sponsorship deals and collaborations, while taking a percentage and boosting coffers.
This can also be beneficial to the student athletes, who will have professional help from the colleges in facilitating deals and ensuring they aren’t exploited by brands.
Expand sponsorship and local business partnerships
Of course, a sure-fire way to improve revenue is by gaining more sponsors. That can be done via the tactics mentioned above, or by just putting themselves out there and offering appealing packages to local businesses.
Local and regional businesses often want to associate themselves with college sports, but often lack the budget. By creating more modular, affordable packages, from digital advertising to sponsoring community events, sponsorship becomes more accessible and multiple opportunities that previously didn’t exist can add up.
For larger-scale deals, larger brands can be targeted with more integrated campaigns that span social media, signage and broadcast exposure, perhaps even through exclusive content that can be developed.
What’s more, getting to grips with the data and analytics, in which brands can be more transparent and showcase key metrics, will allow colleges to give a clear view of the benefits for sponsors, which can not only attract them in the first place, but maintain them long-term too.
Grow alumni and donor engagement through personalisation
Finally, alumni are among the most valuable audiences in college sports, yet many institutions rely on outdated fundraising models. Modern fans expect personalised communication, digital access and clear value in return for their support. Using customer relationship management (CRM) systems and fan data, colleges can segment alumni by interest, location and giving history to tailor offers more effectively.
Exclusive benefits, such as virtual meet-and-greets, early ticket access, premium content or behind-the-scenes updates, can be tied to donation tiers. Importantly, not every supporter wants to make large financial contributions. Micro-donations, subscription-style memberships and cause-driven campaigns (for example, funding specific facilities or women’s programmes) allow broader participation while still generating meaningful income at scale.
Stronger alumni engagement also has a long-term payoff, building loyalty that extends beyond individual seasons or coaching cycles.
