Illinois AD Looking for $22 Million for Revenue Sharing

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman shared what the Illini are working toward when it comes to student-athlete revenue sharing.

Dec 29, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Josh Whitman, Director of Athletics at the University of Illinois, addresses the media over the suspension of player Terrence Shannon Jr. after a rape charge on Dec.5. The address to the media came before a game with Fairleigh Dickinson at State Farm Center. / Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman told media in a roundtable conversation that he agrees with the decision to settle the House vs. NCAA case.

Now, the next step? Find the money for the anticipated revenue-sharing to come.

Whitman’s comments were reported by wcia.com, among other outlets.

Whitman, the former Illinois product and NFL player who has served as the school’s athletic director since 2016, said the school expects to share with its student-athletes the full amount allowed under the settlement, which is expected to be $22 million, or a figured capped at 22% of the average major conference school’s primary revenues.

The settlement must still be approved by a federal judge but the contours are agreed upon.

Whitman said that for Illinois to be able to compete at the highest level that it had to make that investment in revenue-sharing. There’s just one problem at the moment.

“We don’t have $22 million so we’re unturning every stone to make that happen,” Whitman said.

Other Big Ten schools are in the process of figuring this out.

Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen has already told boosters that the department has set aside $20 million for revenue sharing, which would start with the 2025-26 athletic year.

Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle is working with his staff to start that budgeting process.

New Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork recently said the Buckeyes will share the max and they’re working on their budget

Whitman said the money will primarily come from television revenue, sponsorship money and ticket sales.

In that respect the Illini are at an advantage. The Big Ten TV deals will pay the league $8 billion over the next seven years. Illinois football attendance was up 15% last season. Whitman also said that their intention is to share revenue whether they have the support of the university or not.

Plus, he anticipates that Illinois will have to surrender $1.2 million in back damage money as part of the House settlement. He also sees football and men’s basketball as the primary beneficiaries of revenue sharing, though Title IX restrictions may influence that.

He also cautioned that what’s happening now may not be anywhere close to where major college athletics ends up.

“We’re living in one the most intense periods of change in college athletics. Everything that has happened (NIL, portal, sports gambling, etc.) to date will be a footnote to where this thing will ultimately go,” Whitman said.