College sports departments keep building facilities in 2026 even as new revenue remains limited
College athletics departments are keeping facility work moving in 2026 even as most say newer revenue categories remain a small slice of the pie. In Athletic Business’s 2026 State of the Industry survey, 45% of college athletics respondents said a facilities project is underway or will break ground this year, and 83% reported that non-traditional sources such as digital media, corporate partnerships and special events contribute less than 25% of department revenue, according to Athletic Business. Athletic Director U’s Dr. Kevin Blue framed the operational driver behind those numbers as structural, arguing that the non-profit setup of college athletics and zero-sum competition tend to pull spending up toward whatever the highest earners can support. For operators writing specs and signing POs, the near-term takeaway is that capital projects will keep prioritizing systems that can handle multiple event types, reduce maintenance burden and meet safety requirements, even when incremental revenue is uncertain.
- 01Revenue diversification remains limited: 83% of Athletic Business college respondents said “non-traditional” sources are under 25% of revenue, meaning most budgets still rely on traditional income streams.
- 02Referee shortages are becoming an operations constraint upstream: Athletic Business found 30% of high school programs canceled games due to officiating shortages, which can change scheduling, staffing and even lighting and PA usage patterns at shared venues.
Sep 1, 2026