Rutgers athletics faces $78 million deficit…it’s time to leave the Big Ten

When Rutgers announced it would join the Big Ten in 2012 (it officially joined in 2014), questions arose about whether the school could keep up financially and competitively with the conference. Coming from the Big East, which was a mess as a football conference, and moving from an ever-changing American Athletic Conference, Rutgers was moving up in competition and money.

 

What made the move even more odd was the announcement that the school would not receive a full share of its Big Ten revenue until 2027. It is similar to SMU joining the ACC, and in exchange, they will not see any ACC television for nine years. Rutgers has received some money since joining the conference, but not nearly as much as it should. So it came as no surprise when Keith Sargent of NJ.com reported on Monday that Rutgers athletics has a $78 million deficit.

 

According to the school’s fiscal report from the 2024-2025 academic year, Rutgers spent $193.8 million. While the program brought in $146.6 million, those revenues were offset by the following:

It gets worse. Since Rutgers joined the Big Ten, the school’s athletic program has posted a total deficit of $516.9 million. Now, obviously, when they moved to a Power 4 conference, it was expected that spending would increase. Ya know, to make money, you have to spend money. But in the almost 12 years since joining the conference, the Scarlet Knights have not shown that they belong in the Big Ten with the exception of soccer, lacrosse, track and field and men’s basketball for what seemed like a quick spell of success. Most of the sports they are most successful in are non-revenue sports; meanwhile, football has been a dumpster fire, with occasional appearances in low-level bowl games (Pinstripe Bowl not included), and basketball, both the men’s and women’s, has been unable to sustain any true long-term success.

 

For years, I wrote an article with the headline or a variation of “Rutgers Does Not Belong In The Big Ten”. The article stated that, while Rutgers does its best, primarily in football, it can’t compete with the Michigans (Sherrone Moore situation withstanding), Ohio States, and now Indiana. The problem is that recruits, transfers and others are not interested in attending Rutgers. Yes, Kyle Monangai helped Rutgers get some recognition with his successful rookie season with the Chicago Bears, but is there another former Scarlet Knight who elicits Rutgers’ pride? Rutgers is barely mentioned when Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are discussed in the NBA.

 

The prior sentence also brings up a problem. Steve Pikiell bet it all on Harper and Bailey last season, knowing that they would be in Piscaatway for one season. Given the high risk of getting those two, Rutgers went 15-17 and was left with two NBA lottery draft picks and a lost year. To compete with the big boys, risks will have to be taken. For Rutgers, it’s paying top dollar for Greg Schiano and his assistants to get invited to the Gasparilla Bowl. It’s recruiting and/or paying big money for players to come to Rutgers and hope that everything comes together at least for one season before the player either declares for the draft or transfers to a bigger, more successful program.

 

In the end, who does Rutgers’ mismanagement really impact? Of course, it’s the students.

 

According to College Tuition Comparison, Rutgers’ tuition increased by 27% from 2015-2025, around the same time Rutgers joined the Big Ten. In New Jersey, the rate over the decade was 19%, and nationwide it is 11%. To compete, the money has to come from somewhere, and the students of a major university will always bear the brunt of schools trying to keep up with the Joneses.

 

So what happens now? Rutgers athletic director Keli Zinn, who was hired in July, knew the challenges of running the program and the dire financial situation the school is in. But while the numbers are staggering, Zinn views them from a different perspective.

 

“You could make the argument that we do not have an expense problem,” Zinn said to NJ Advance Media. ”But we do in fact have a revenue problem and a pretty significant one.”

 

Needless to say, something needs to change. The NCAA allowing teams to wear jersey patches for marketing money is important for growing revenue. Getting more donations and selling more tickets would definitely help as well. But the only solution to the problem is simple….Rutgers has to leave the Big Ten Conference.

 

It is not working. I know people point out the medical research that is being shared between schools and other educational institutions, and the highlights are being in the Big Ten. But at the end of the day, schools join conferences for money and notoriety. To rub shoulders with those you may not match up to, but hey, you are in the room. Rutgers has been rubbing their shoulders with programs on a completely different level. But, after almost 12 years of hobnobbing, they are still invited to the party, but they eventually end up in the corner of the room while everyone is partying.

 

Finances change and that deficit number will eventually go down, especially with Rutgers getting its full share starting in 2027. But will it ever get better? Will Rutgers ever really belong in the Big Ten? Can they be mentioned among the top teams in the conference within the next 10 years?

 

The answer to those questions is resounding no, and the quicker they cut bait and move on, the better it will end for the school, and maybe the program will finally begin spending money and seeing results. Until then, Rutgers will continue to spend money like Nicholas Cage in “Leaving Las Vegas” with a bad ending. With that bad ending, we will see yet another athletic director leaving town not only without any titles, but also with the money they spent added to the deficit.