
How Nebraska Huskers volleyball did financially in FY2024
LINCOLN, Neb. (BVM) – The University of Nebraska-Lincoln athletic department has released its annual financial report for fiscal year 2024.
The 88-page document, which was submitted to the NCAA by Jan. 15, was obtained by BVM Sports through an open records request. It highlights revenue, expense and profit figures of the Nebraska Huskers women’s volleyball program.
Note that FY2024 covers the reporting period from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. It reflects the 2023 volleyball season in which the Huskers posted a 33-2 record and finished as the national runner-up.
Revenue: The Nebraska athletic department generated $220.2 million in total operating revenue in FY2024, marking a $15 million increase from the previous year.
Women’s volleyball in particular saw a 64% surge in revenue, reaching $7.3 million in FY2024. Only football ($128.1 million) and men’s basketball ($17.5 million) brought in more revenue than volleyball.
Ticket sales: The Nebraska athletic department saw a $4.3 million decline in ticket revenue in FY2024, primarily due to lower football ticket sales. In contrast, volleyball ticket sales rose by 15% to reach $2.6 million. Nebraska volleyball is one of the only women’s sports programs in college history to ever surpass $2 million in ticket sales, per Sportico’s database.
Other game day revenue: Volleyball’s game days are becoming increasingly lucrative, with the program reporting a $1 million increase in revenue from game programs, novelties, parking and concessions – bringing the total to $1.8 million.
Media rights: Radio, television, internet, digital and e-commerce revenue surged from $127,267 to $618,700 for Nebraska volleyball in FY2024. While this figure pales in comparison to football ($64 million) and men’s basketball ($8.6 million), it does highlight how the program’s national success has played an important role in increasing the coverage of women’s sports.
Royalties, licensing, ads and sponsorships: Volleyball’s revenue within this category continues to decline: $701,972 in FY2022 to $284,578 in FY2023 and $159,873 in FY2024.
Donations: The generosity of donors helps Nebraska athletics stay competitive. While contributions provided and used by football doubled to $30.5 million in FY2024, volleyball contributions fell by 84% to just $122,823.
Expenses: The Nebraska athletic department raised its spending budget by $22.6 million, bringing total operating costs to $213.5 million in FY2024.
Volleyball in particular spent an additional $1.5 million to bring its operating costs to $5.9 million. Football ($84.1 million) and men’s basketball ($12.4 million) were the only other programs to spend more money.
Meals: The university spent $7 million on non-travel student-athlete meal allowances and food/snacks in FY2024, while volleyball accounted for just $138,225.
Team travel: Meals provided to players on the road were reported under “team travel,” but this category also considers lodging, air and ground travel. Volleyball spent the fourth most in this category ($857,791) – behind football ($2.7 million), men’s basketball ($1.6 million) and women’s basketball ($1.2 million).
Game expenses: Game-day expenses for volleyball – covering officials, security, and event staff (excluding travel) – nearly tripled from $407,315 to $1.1 million in FY2024. While no other program saw such a sharp rise, the increase is likely tied to the historic August 30th game that drew 92,003 fans.
Recruiting: The Nebraska athletic department upped its recruiting budget to $3.5 million in FY2024. Volleyball’s share of that boost grew from $46,407 to $78,830 year-over-year. The spending laid the groundwork for the Huskers to acquire two top-20 players for their Class of 2024 and secure a No. 2 ranking in the Class of 2025.
Salaries: John Cook, who is the highest-paid college volleyball coach in the nation, earned $976,333 in salaries, benefits and bonuses in FY2024. This makes him the second-highest-paid head coach at Nebraska (after football).
Profits: The Nebraska athletic department reported profits of $6.7 million in FY2024, which is a $7.3 million decrease from the prior year.
Very few women’s college sports programs are profitable, but Nebraska volleyball posted $1.3 million in profits for FY2024 – an extraordinary increase from just $6,372 in FY2023. The only other profitable programs were football ($44 million) and men’s basketball ($6 million).
Overall, it’s clear that Nebraska volleyball continues to be an outlier in women’s athletics with its success in ticket sales and profits. The Huskers’ next NCAA financial report (FY2025) is set to be released in January 2026.