(The Center Square) – The Wisconsin Assembly approved a bill that would send $14.6 million in general purpose taxpayer funds to University of Wisconsin-Madison annually for maintenance and debt service on athletics facilities.
The bill was labeled a name, image and likeness bill that also would require athletes to disclose to the school any third-party NIL deals but would make those deals exempt from public records.
The athletic department is currently required to pay for 40% of the principal and interest costs on athletic facilities from athletics funds.
The Assembly approved the bill on a 95-1 vote Thursday, the final day the Assembly was scheduled to be in session. Rep. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown, was the lone “no” vote.
It remains unclear if the Senate will take up the bill and send it to Gov. Tony Evers.
UW-Madison athletics operated with a $4.3 million surplus in its most recent annual NCAA financial report released last month covering the financial year that ended in June 2025.
UW-Madison Athletic Director Chris McIntosh told the Assembly Committee on State Affairs recently that football is responsible for 80% of the athletic department’s revenue. That was $113.6 million last fiscal year, according to the NCAA report, which showed the football program brought in $72 million in excess during the year.
