Near the top of the next tier, Illinois has made sizable strides since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Illini’s football gate revenue has grown from just under $7 million in fiscal 2022 to just over $15 million in fiscal 2025

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Illinois, fresh off an Elite Eight run, enjoyed a $4.9 million leap in men’s basketball gate revenue to $14.2 million, second in the conference.

https://archive.is/2026.02.26-165717/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7071017/2026/02/26/big-ten-financial-reports-2025/?source=emp_shared_article