WSU to give athletics $20 million to patch projected budget shortfall

Washington State University will divert $20 million to its athletics program to correct an expected budget shortfall caused by a decrease in money coming from media rights.

In a Regents meeting on Friday, the university’s governing board approved a resolution committing money to fill a projected $20 million budget hole in the school’s athletic program. The transfer is supposed to holistically help the university’s lagging enrollment and retention.

“This action reflects the Board’s recognition that a strong Athletics program is one of the main drivers of student recruitment, retention, and institutional pride,” WSU President Betsy Cantwell said in a statement after the move was made.

Regent Marty Dickinson called on donors to “double down” on investments and pledges to WSU to further support the athletics program.

“It is a call to action to our donors,” she said. “We need them to double down with us right now and lean into this, because it too is time for them to come forth and join us.”

The shortfall is due to the end of funds received from a settlement after the collapse of the Pac-12 and a new media deal that provides less than the previous deal.

“There’s a gap between the historical distributions and what we’re going to receive from the conference moving forward,” WSU interim athletics director Jon Haarlow said.

According to documents shared in the Regents meeting, WSU has had eyes on the athletics budget shortfall ever since the disintegration of the Pac-12 in 2023, calling it “imminent.” WSU athletics in 2025 approved a reduction in its budget of more than $9 million, which resulted in 32 layoffs.

WSU will not decide where the money will come from to patch the shortfall until the next Regents meeting in May.

The shortfall will not affect impact the $12 million renovation plans for Gesa Field, WSU’s football stadium, which has around $11 million in commitments so far.