Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez recently said that in anticipation of the NCAA's cost-of-attendance measure, a "multi-tiered model has been devised for in-state and out-of-state recipients, one that works out to an average of around $5,000 per student-athlete per year," according to Andy Baggot of the WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL. UW has 23 sports programs, and there "were 476 individuals on full or partial scholarship" in '13-14. That "works out to an estimated new budget expenditure" of $2.4M. Alvarez said that cost of attendance "will be absorbed into the upcoming budget, but he hasn't offered any definitive methods of payment outside a recently approved increase in season tickets for four sports, but mainly men's basketball and volleyball." Alvarez has "mentioned two major contracts that could help address the added costs to his department down the road, but the footwear and apparel deal with Adidas has another year remaining and the pact between the Big Ten Conference and its multiple TV partners" runs through '16-17. More future revenue "is expected for UW Athletics from those two sources, but especially the TV deal." However, a spending plan "is needed now." Alvarez said recently that there would be "no specific cuts within the athletic department for the new budget -- just a greater awareness of the bottom line." But "word circulating" around UW on Monday was programs and departments "may indeed be asked to reduce spending, apparently" by 2%. Alvarez said that UW "will be near the upper end of the cost-of-attendance in the Big Ten, a range he said goes from around $2,000 per individual to around $6,000" (WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 2/10).
