The tangible benefits of elite college football are being felt in Bloomington.
According to a report by Scott Dochterman of the Athletic, donations designated for IU Athletics have doubled year-over-year from $25 million to $50 million for the year ended June 30, 2026.
The phenomenon of rapidly expanding student interest in a school in connection with major sports success has been measured in the past, and IU is experiencing that as well. The Athletic reports applications have grown by more than 9.3 percent each of the last two years.
More operational revenue has also come in the doors.
According to records obtained by The Daily Hoosier, football program revenues swelled by more than $17 million when comparing 2024-25 to the prior year and excluding one-time events. Another substantial boost is expected when reports for the year just ended, which includes the national championship run, are released.
Indiana announced season tickets for the 2026 season were completely sold out months ago. They appear likely to announce a complete season sell out very soon as just a handful of single game tickets remain.
Of course all of this growth coincides with the hire of Curt Cignetti in late 2023. And the IU head coach regularly cites the support of the duo that hired him — AD Scott Dolson and President Pam Whitten — for providing the support necessary to operate a successful Power 4 college football program. Substantial support started with the hire of Cignetti, when Dolson sought $26 million from Whitten and IU to make a change of leadership and pay various contract buy-outs.
Dolson had already been empowered to think bigger when it came to the long-suffering football program.
“We can’t treat it like an intramural sport anymore,” was Whitten’s directive to Dolson when she was hired by Indiana.
The results have been staggering.
In The Athletic’s attempt to estimate values for college football programs as if they were professional sports franchise, Indiana took the greatest jump among Power 4 programs this year with a $696 million valuation. That comes in at No. 22 overall, just behind Iowa and ninth among Big Ten programs. That same analysis value IU football at $386 million the year prior.
Indiana still lags at least in part because of its relatively small stadium, something Cignetti has said will be addressed, but takes time and resources.
He has everything on the right track to get that done.
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