Football and Men’s basketball will account for close to 90% of revenue sharing payments at most Power Conference schools. The remaining 10% results in an average payout of around $ 4,306 per athlete in all other sports including wrestling:
Revenue Sharing Estimates
Power 4 Schools: 2026-27 *Revenue
Share %
Allocation
to Team ($)
# of eligible
Athletes *Average per
Athlete ($)
Football 75% 15,600,000 105 148,570
Men's Basketball 15% 3,120,000 15 208,000
All Other Sports 10% 2,080,000 483
4,306
Power Conference Average 100% $ 20,800,000 603
These are averages, a few athletes will receive much more, while most will receive less. These estimates are for revenue sharing payments only (Institutional NIL), they do not include third-party NIL compensation. Most sports will likely receive no revenue sharing allocation, but will be eligible for greater scholarship awards.
* In almost all cases, the maximum $ 21.3 million revenue sharing distribution for 2026-27 will be reduced by a $ 500,000 offset for additional scholarships. Eligible athletes are based on the new roster limits effective July 1, 2025.
Athletic scholarship limits removed for NCAA I Wrestling teams:
While wrestlers will not receive substantial revenue sharing payments, most will be eligible for significantly higher athletic scholarship awards. As part of the House v NCAA settlement, scholarship limits have been removed, and roster limits have been established for each sport. For participating schools this would result in every rostered athlete being eligible for a full scholarship. For Men’s wrestling, the athletic scholarship limit has been increased from 9.9 to 30, and Women’s from 10 to 30, potentially tripling the available scholarship money at most NCAA I schools:
2025 Scholarship Awards
Men's Wrestling Teams *Conference 2025
Roster # of
awardsAverage ($)
Award 2025
Potential ($)
Award 2026 Roster
Limit **
Appalachian State Sun Belt 32 22 13,515 32,108 30
Arizona State Big 12 32 21 23,104 67,576 30
Binghamton America East 27 15 20,907 41,763 30
Buffalo MAC 34 22 15,547 51,624 30
Cal Poly Big West 35 22 12,881 39,057 30
Cal State Bakersfield Big West 27 15 10,600 37,576 30
Central Michigan MAC 30 25 10,982 31,628 30
Cleveland State Horizon 38 15 5,991 36,462 30
Illinois Big Ten 36 21 16,878 48,881 30
Indiana Big Ten 28 21 22,790 58,399 30
Iowa Big Ten 38 17 27,121 48,734 30
Iowa State Big 12 44 28 16,685 42,054 30
Kent State MAC 39 25 12,531 38,335 30
Maryland Big Ten 31 19 31,995 65,294 30
Michigan Big Ten 35 14 56,315 86,131 30
Michigan State Big Ten 38 24 21,361 64,830 30
Minnesota Big Ten 29 24 18,113 51,913 30
Missouri SEC 41 23 20,636 53,321 30
Nebraska Big Ten 31 22 21,991 44,411 30
North Carolina ACC 37 23 27,421 45,931 30
North Carolina State ACC 36 20 28,139 44,314 30
North Dakota State Summit 32 24 11,497 29,892 30
Northern Illinois Horizon 38 27 10,835 33,988 30
Northern Iowa MVC 36 28 9,356 27,479 30
Ohio MAC 44 26 13,174 41,249 30
Ohio State Big Ten 39 17 31,957 60,509 30
Oklahoma SEC 35 24 23,832 60,504 30
Oklahoma State Big 12 35 28 9,052 39,353 30
Oregon State Pac-12 37 34 16,263 46,740 30
Penn State Big Ten 38 17 41,424 63,133 30
Purdue Big Ten 34 24 20,892 50,795 30
Rutgers Big Ten 37 19 31,784 71,187 30
South Dakota State Summit 39 27 9,903 22,911 30
Utah Valley WAC 37 25 10,607 33,679 30
Virginia ACC 37 24 32,566 75,988 30
Virginia Tech ACC 38 26 27,317 65,734 30
West Virginia Big 12 38 18 22,224 52,200 30
Wisconsin Big Ten 29 13 38,788 63,378 30
Wyoming MW 34 28 15,143 42,337 30
Average - 39 teams * 35 22 $ 20,824 $ 49,010 30
These are potential increases as athletic scholarship awards are optional. Schools can fully fund a sport, or award less than the maximum allowed. While Football and Men’s basketball will receive close to 90% of revenue sharing payments at most FBS schools, conversely, about 90% of the new potential scholarship awards will go to athletes in Women’s and Men’s sports other than football and basketball.
* These averages are for NCAA I public Universities for which we have compiled data from available reporting.
** Roster limits are not mandatory. However, schools opting not to be subject to roster limits must adhere to the prior (lower) scholarship limits. Participating schools must submit certified rosters to the College Sports Commission.
Number of US College Wrestling teams:
NCAA I teams represent about 26% of all US college wrestling teams. There are also many opportunities to wrestle at schools in other divisions and athletic associations:
Intercollegiate Wrestling
Programs 2025-26Men's
TeamsWomen's
Teams
NCAA I 80 4
NCAA II 73 33
NCAA III 127 55
NAIA 68 42
NJCAA 63 20
CCCAA 22 16
Totals 433 170
We didn’t just make this stuff up … see our page on methodology and sources of information. Questions on our data? Contact us at: NIL-NCAA.com Statistics compiled & edited by Patrick O’Rourke CPA, Washington, DC 
