Washington State's men's basketball program finds itself in a challenging position as it prepares to join the revamped Pac-12. A deep dive into the financial landscape of college sports by ExtraPoint.com’s Matt Brown reveals a significant disparity in the resources allocated to WSU compared to its new conference peers.
The data, covering the fiscal year 2025, highlights that WSU invested $4.38 million in its men's basketball program. This places them at 77th nationally among 180 public universities, nestled between Wyoming and UC Irvine, and trailing behind programs like UTEP and Fresno State.
In the context of the new Pac-12 lineup, WSU's spending ranks second-to-last among public institutions. While Gonzaga’s financial details remain undisclosed due to its private status, it’s well-known that they make substantial investments in their basketball program, with head coach Mark Few earning over $2.8 million in FY25 alone.
Here's a snapshot of how Pac-12 schools stack up in terms of men's basketball spending:
- San Diego State: $9.1 million (52nd nationally)
- Colorado State: $7.4 million (57th)
- Oregon State: $6.9 million (59th)
- Utah State: $6.6 million (61st)
- Boise State: $5.4 million (65th)
- Fresno State: $4.5 million (75th)
- WSU: $4.38 million (77th)
- Texas State: $3.6 million (90th)
Nationally, Indiana leads with a staggering $32 million investment, with other top programs like Tennessee, Arizona, Texas, and UConn spending between $21.5 million and $23.2 million each.
WSU's Interim Athletic Director, Jon Haarlow, acknowledges the need to bridge this resource gap to remain competitive. "We're not where we want to be resource-wise for men's basketball," Haarlow stated, emphasizing the importance of NIL and revenue-generating sports like football and basketball.
Head coach David Riley’s salary of $600,000 last season underscores the financial challenges, as even a raise to $1 million would still place WSU behind several conference rivals, including Gonzaga.
As WSU looks to the future, the focus will be on finding innovative ways to enhance their financial support and competitive edge in the ever-evolving landscape of college athletics.