University of Wisconsin Badgers

Collegiate Athleticsuwbadgers.com

The University of Wisconsin Badgers athletics department operates 23 NCAA Division I varsity sports for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, generating revenue through Big Ten media rights, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, NIL licensing, merchandise, and alumni fundraising.

Company typePrivate
Founded1848
HeadquartersMadison, United States
Headcount101–250
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What University of Wisconsin Badgers does

The University of Wisconsin Badgers is the official NCAA Division I athletics department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, operating 23 varsity sports programs and generating revenue from ticket sales, Big Ten Conference media rights (Big Ten Network, Big Ten Plus), corporate sponsorships, merchandise licensing, NIL deals, and alumni fundraising.

The department operates on a Sidearm Sports content management system and runs an integrated digital stack: the Badgers App for fan engagement, evenue.net and SeatGeek for primary and secondary ticket distribution, Opendorse for the Badgers Mean Business NIL athlete marketplace, Fanatics-powered Bucky's Locker Room for merchandise, and Big Ten Plus for streaming. Customer-facing channels span the Badgers App, email newsletters (Bucky Mail), the Badgers Radio Network, social media, and community events such as the Crazylegs Classic and Bucky's Buddies family program.

Revenue is split across six identifiable streams: transaction-based ticket sales across 21 ticketable sports, recurring subscription media rights via Big Ten Conference distribution, advertising and sponsorship deals (Under Armour, Culver's, UW Health, Associated Bank, Coors Light, Chevy), merchandise and licensing royalties, NIL licensing through Opendorse, and fundraising through the Support the Badgers / Building Champions platform. The department is led by Director of Athletics Shawn Eichorst, appointed July 1, 2026, and operates under the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.

University of Wisconsin Badgers firmographics

Firmographics

Name: University of Wisconsin Badgers
Legal name: University of Wisconsin-Madison Athletics (Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System)
Website: https://uwbadgers.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1848
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 101–250 employees
Short description: The University of Wisconsin Badgers athletics department operates 23 NCAA Division I varsity sports for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, generating revenue through Big Ten media rights, ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, NIL licensing, merchandise, and alumni fundraising.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

University of Wisconsin Badgers industry classification

Industry

Product category: Collegiate Athletics
NAICS: Spectator Sports (71121), Spectator Sports (7112)
SIC: Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
akta.pro primary industry: College/University Athletic Departments & Varsity Programs (MPAKACAB)
akta.pro secondary industries: Collegiate Athletic Conferences & Associations (MPAKACAA), Intercollegiate Athletics (Varsity Sports Programs) (EDALAIAA), Collegiate & School Athletic Facilities (MPAKAEAJ)

Keywords

Collegiate athletics
Live sports events
NCAA Division I
Licensed merchandise
Sports sponsorships

Where University of Wisconsin Badgers is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Madison
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

University of Wisconsin Badgers business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

Ticket Sales: Revenue from single-game tickets, season tickets, and premium seating across all sports including football, basketball, hockey, volleyball, and other varsity sports
Media Rights and Broadcasting: Television and streaming deals primarily through Big Ten Network and Big Ten Plus platform, generating revenue from conference media rights distribution
Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate sponsorship deals including official partners (Under Armour apparel), game sponsors, arena naming rights, and jersey patch sponsorships (e.g., Culver's multi-sport jersey patch)
Merchandise and Licensing: Sales through Bucky's Locker Room retail stores and online store, including licensed merchandise and apparel
NIL (Name, Image, Likeness): Badgers Mean Business program facilitating NIL opportunities for student-athletes through athlete marketplace partnerships
Donations and Fundraising: Support the Badgers fundraising platform and Building Champions capital campaigns supporting athletic programs

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Annual	Season Tickets - Major Sports

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

University of Wisconsin Badgers product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The Wisconsin Badgers operate the intercollegiate athletics program for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, fielding NCAA Division I teams in the Big Ten Conference across football, men's and women's basketball, hockey, and Olympic sports. The program sells live event tickets, official licensed merchandise, broadcast content, and premium fan experiences (suites, club seating, parking) to fans, students, alumni, and corporate partners. Auxiliary offerings include youth camps, alumni engagement programs, and donor/membership benefits through organizations such as the Badger Fund.

Product overview

The University of Wisconsin Badgers athletics program operates as a comprehensive collegiate sports organization offering 23 varsity programs. The core product consists of competitive athletics across multiple sports including men's and women's basketball, football, hockey, rowing, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. The product portfolio extends beyond live competition to include digital services (Badgers App, Digital Ticketing), streaming media (B1G+), merchandise commerce (Bucky's Locker Room via Fanatics), and athlete name, image, and likeness opportunities (Badgers Mean Business through Opendorse). The platform provides ticketing integration through SeatGeek and season ticket products through Badger Select.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Wisconsin Badgers Football

Quantifiable outcome

2026 NCAA National Champions - Women's Hockey (ninth overall national championship)
+2 more outcomes

Companies that use University of Wisconsin Badgers

Customer profile

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

University of Wisconsin Badgers technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

University of Wisconsin Badgers partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

Culver'smajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Culver's is a multi-sport jersey patch sponsor as part of Wisconsin's Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) program, supporting student-athletes across multiple sports programs.
Under ArmourcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUnder Armour serves as the official apparel and footwear partner for Wisconsin Athletics. The partnership provides official merchandise, fan apparel, and equipment for student-athletes across all sports programs.
UW Health Sports MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUW Health provides sports medicine services, athletic training, and healthcare support for Wisconsin student-athletes, leveraging the university's medical expertise.
Associated BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociated Bank serves as a banking partner with fan accounts and financial products marketed to Wisconsin fans and alumni.
Coors LightmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoors Light is an official beer partner with promotional presence at games and fan marketing initiatives.
Chevy (Badgerland Chevy)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerChevy/Badgerland Chevy provides vehicle sponsorships and automotive marketing tied to Wisconsin athletics events.
Big Ten ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin is a member of the Big Ten Conference, participating in shared media rights (Big Ten Network, Big Ten Plus), conference championships, and collaborative marketing initiatives.
NCAAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin Athletics operates under NCAA governance with participation in NCAA championships across all sports programs.
SeatGeekmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSeatGeek serves as the official secondary ticket marketplace for Wisconsin Athletics, enabling fan-to-fan ticket resales and transfers.
Christofferson Moving & StorageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal moving and storage company with promotional presence at Wisconsin athletics events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

University of Wisconsin Badgers competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

University of Michigan Wolverines Athletics: Michigan is a Big Ten Conference peer and fellow charter member, operating an athletics department of comparable scale and revenue profile with similar multi-sport breadth (football, basketball, hockey, etc.) and shared media-rights exposure. Michigan is widely considered the closest direct peer to Wisconsin in conference stature and revenue tier.
Ohio State Buckeyes Athletics: Ohio State is a Big Ten peer and one of the largest collegiate athletics programs in the country by revenue, with a comparable multi-sport portfolio and shared media-rights pool. It is a primary benchmark for Wisconsin on sponsorship rates, ticket pricing, and conference distribution share.
Penn State Nittany Lions Athletics: Penn State is a Big Ten Conference peer with similar scale, multi-sport offerings, and revenue model. The programs compete directly for conference standings, recruiting, and donor support in the Eastern Midwest footprint.
Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics: Iowa is a Big Ten peer with comparable athletics department scale and similar reliance on football, basketball, and wrestling revenue streams. Iowa and Wisconsin compete directly for Big Ten standings, recruiting territories, and Midwest donor mindshare.
Michigan State Spartans Athletics: Michigan State is a Big Ten peer operating a similarly sized multi-sport athletic department with shared media-rights economics. The two programs compete directly in football, basketball, and hockey for fans, recruits, and corporate sponsors in the Midwest.
Minnesota Golden Gophers Athletics: Minnesota is a Big Ten peer with overlapping hockey and multi-sport offerings and a similar Midwest regional fan base. The two compete head-to-head in several marquee sports (hockey, football) and for regional sponsor dollars.
Indiana Hoosiers Athletics: Indiana is a Big Ten peer with comparable athletics department scale, sharing the same media-rights pool and conference competition. The two programs intersect directly in basketball and football and compete for Midwest corporate sponsorship budgets.
USC Trojans Athletics: USC is a recent Big Ten entrant sharing the same media-rights distribution, providing a useful peer for revenue benchmarking in the new-look conference. USC brings a larger historical brand and media footprint, creating competitive pressure on Wisconsin's donor and sponsor pool.
Oregon Ducks Athletics: Oregon is a recent Big Ten entrant with a comparable athletics revenue profile and shared conference media-rights economics. The two programs are increasingly aligned on sponsor targeting in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.

Broad incumbents

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Athletics: Notre Dame operates an independent athletics department of similar revenue tier and national brand strength, but with distinct media-rights economics (NBC deal vs. Big Ten distribution). It is a useful benchmark for elite private-program revenue even though it is not a direct conference competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

University of Wisconsin Badgers financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

University of Wisconsin Badgers leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

University of Wisconsin Badgers funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

University of Wisconsin Badgers M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Wisconsin Badgers

What does University of Wisconsin Badgers do?

Is University of Wisconsin Badgers a public or private company?

University of Wisconsin Badgers is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.

When was University of Wisconsin Badgers founded?

University of Wisconsin Badgers was founded in 1848. It employs 101 to 250 people.

Where is University of Wisconsin Badgers based?

University of Wisconsin Badgers is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.

How does University of Wisconsin Badgers make money?

Six revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are media Rights and Broadcasting, sponsorships and Partnerships, merchandise and Licensing, NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and donations and Fundraising.

Who are University of Wisconsin Badgers's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are University of Michigan Wolverines Athletics, Ohio State Buckeyes Athletics, Penn State Nittany Lions Athletics, Iowa Hawkeyes Athletics, Michigan State Spartans Athletics, Minnesota Golden Gophers Athletics, Indiana Hoosiers Athletics, USC Trojans Athletics and Oregon Ducks Athletics. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Athletics is listed as a broad incumbent.

Does University of Wisconsin Badgers have an API?

No public API is recorded for University of Wisconsin Badgers.

What industry is University of Wisconsin Badgers in?

University of Wisconsin Badgers's product category is Collegiate Athletics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKACAB, College/University Athletic Departments & Varsity Programs, with a secondary code of MPAKACAA, Collegiate Athletic Conferences & Associations. Its NAICS code is 71121 and its SIC code is 7900.