Wisconsin
Badgers football losses go beyond field and into Wisconsin’s economy, UW report says
Ripple effects could be felt in other UW athletic programs
The 2025 Badger football season is one fans already want to forget − but the negative economic impact could be felt well beyond the final game on Nov. 29.
If the team’s poor performance continues, it could reduce the program’s profit by $20 million annually, according to a new report from the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy, housed at University of Wisconsin-Madison
The ripple effects can be felt in other university athletic programs subsidized by the football program, and could impact student applications to the university, alumni donations, and research output, according to the report − titled “The Economic Impact of Badger Football’s Declining Performance.”
Beyond the financial blow to the campus, the report estimates the city of Madison could could lose up to $160 million, and the state could lose up to $280 million “stemming from reduced attendance, game day spending, tourism and reputational value.”
The UW Athletic Department disputes the findings of the report.
“Wisconsin Athletics respects the work and research of our world-renowned academic partners, along with their passion for the sports that represent our institution,” a department statement said.
“Although we do not believe that this study portrays a complete and accurate representation of the economic factors around the football program, we all share a common interest in its successful future.
“We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy on any future works on this topic,” according to the statement.
Badger football is profitable
In 2023, the football team had revenue of $106. 7 million and expenses of $42.3 million, with the program earning more than $64 million, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Equity in Athletics Data Analysis cited in the report.
In 2024, Badger football had $107.4 million in revenue according to its NCAA membership filing, and had expenses of $49.6 million − posting a profit of $57.8 million. The Badgers men’s basketball program earned a $7.3 million profit that year.
If the winning percentage falls from nearly 80%, as it was during the 2017 to 2019 seasons, to 50%, that could mean “Badger Football’s annual profit could drop by about $20 million,” the report reads.
The team this season so far has a 2-6 record with four games remaining in November.
Is it Luke Fickell’s fault?
Short answer: not in the beginning.
The report says the program’s profit didn’t decline during 2022 and 2023 despite the 14-12 regular season record. That was during Luke Fickell’s first two seasons as head coach.
“This is probably because there was a lot of excitement” about Fickell’s hiring, the report states.
Fans recently have been chanting “fire Fickell” at home games. Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh addressed fans concerns in an Oct. 20 letter.
It said the football season has “fallen well short of our standards” and added the department is committed “to elevating the investment into our football program to position us to compete at the highest level.”
Financial impact is already being felt
This year the program is on pace to have the lowest attendance in more than 30 years with a 51,980 average scanned attendance during the first four home games. That’s according to data obtained via an open records request and analyzed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
But fans have been signaling their disappointment before this season.
According to the research center report, “Badgers sold 38,082 season tickets for general seating areas in 2025, down from 42,197 in 2024 and 41,206 in 2023.”
Football helps subsidize other programs, generates donations
The Athletic Department’s total profit was less than $11 million in 2023, including the football program’s $64 million profit.
“This suggests that the department’s other programs and operations are subsidized heavily by the football team,” the report states.
The report cites research that shows “when a male graduate former team wins its conference championship, his donations for general purposes increase by about 7% and his donations to the athletic program increase by about the same percentage.
“Moreover, if a male alumnus’s team won its conference championship during his senior year, his subsequent giving to the athletic program is about 8% a year higher.”
The Badgers last won the Big Ten football title in 2012.
“If the poor performance continues, its impact on alumni donations and engagement is likely to diminish,” the report reads.
Local economic impact of athletic program
College sports programs affect communities and states as fans go to games, restaurants, and bars, buy merchandise, and pay for hotel rooms.
The report compared the UW athletic program’s impact on Madison and Wisconsin with the University of MinnesotaTwin Cities program on Minneapolis area and Minnesota. Both football teams had similar performances in 2022 and 2023.
It showed the Badgers’ impact on Madison contributed to 3,360 jobs and $462 million of economic output.
The Gophers’ impact on the Twin Cities contributed to 1,152 jobs and $298 million of economic output.
Statewide, the Badger athletic program contributed to 5,640 jobs and $757 million of economic impact in Wisconsin. In Minnesota, the Gophers contributed to $474 million of economic impact.
The report says the Twin Cities population is larger than Madison’s population − making the latter “likely more sensitive to Badger Football’s performance.”
NIL and program investment
UW can revitalize the program by investing in facilities, recruiting budgets, NIL (name, image and likeness) deals for athletes, and competitive compensation for players and coaches, the report said.
The report estimates the Badgers NIL collective funding in 2023 and 2024 was $8.9 million. The highest spent in the conference was Ohio State at $20.2 million, it said.
NIL deals aren’t public information and the estimate is based on methodology from nil-ncaa.com/big10. .
Spending more money on the football program “could help reverse the team’s declining performance,” the report said.
“Enhanced facilities can attract top transfers and recruits, while better coaching and talent ensure the return on these assets are maximized,” it said. “Strategic, dual-focused investments are essential to rebuild competitiveness and mitigate the economic risks estimated above.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter John Steppe contributed to this report.
Wisconsin
8-year-old dies in hospital after icy Wisconsin crash
RICHMOND TOWNSHIP, Wis. (FOX 9) – A crash in western Wisconsin killed an 8-year-old boy and seriously injured a 27-year-old Wednesday morning.
Fatal crash in Richmond Township, Wisconsin
What we know:
According to St. Croix County, just before 10 a.m., deputies responded to a crash on the 1500 block of County Road A.
Authorities say that a 27-year-old woman was driving a van southbound, and lost control on an icy curve and collided with another vehicle.
The woman suffered serious injuries from the crash and was taken to the hospital to be treated, law enforcement said. The boy was critically injured, and was also taken to the hospital, where he later died.
Both were wearing seat belts during the crash.
The driver of the other vehicle was treated for minor injuries at the scene and was released.
This is the 10th traffic fatality in St. Croix County.
What we don’t know:
The current condition of the woman is unknown.
The Source: A press release from St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office.
Wisconsin
Judge refuses call from Trump’s former Wisconsin lawyer to step away from fake elector case
Jim Troupis, the former Trump campaign lawyer, charged in fake elector scheme speaks out
Jim Troupis, the former Trump campaign lawyer from Dane County swept up in charges over an alleged fake elector scheme, speaks out about the case.
MADISON – A Wisconsin judge is refusing calls from President Donald Trump’s former campaign attorney to step down from a case accusing the attorney of felony forgery charges over his alleged role in a scheme to overturn the 2020 election result.
Dane County Circuit Judge John Hyland on Tuesday rejected a motion from Jim Troupis, a former Dane County judge who represented Trump’s 2020 campaign in Wisconsin, to step down from the case. Troupis alleged judicial misconduct.
Hyland also rejected a motion to postpone a Monday hearing in the case, according to court records.
Troupis argued Hyland should step aside because Troupis believed retired Dane County Judge Frank Remington actually wrote a previous order in the case, according to the Associated Press. Troupis alleged that Remington had ill will against Troupis. Hyland said Remington did not help write the order and rejected the motion.
In 2024, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul filed felony charges against Troupis, Kenneth Chesebro, a Wisconsin native and lead architect of the 2020 elector scheme, and former Trump aide Mike Roman, who allegedly delivered Wisconsin’s slate of false elector paperwork to a Pennsylvania congressman’s staffer to get them to Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6, 2021.
The three face 11 charges relating to felony forgery and forgery meant to defraud the Republican electors who cast their ballots for Trump, even though Joe Biden, a Democrat, won the state’s presidential election. Each of the 11 charges against the men carries the same maximum penalty of six years in prison, in addition to a $10,000 fine.
According to the complaint against Troupis, Chesebro and Roman, most of the Trump electors said they did not consent to having their signatures presented as if Trump had won the state without a court ruling saying so. The complaint also describes how Chesebro, Troupis and Roman allegedly created a fake document that said Trump won Wisconsin’s 10 Electoral College votes and then attempted to deliver it to Pence for certification.
Federal prosecutors have said the fake electors plot originated in Wisconsin.
Biden beat Trump by about 21,000 votes in Wisconsin. Trump sought recounts in Dane and Milwaukee counties, which confirmed Biden’s win. Trump sued and the state Supreme Court upheld the results on a 4-3 vote on Dec. 14, 2020. Troupis represented the Trump campaign in the case.
Less than an hour later, Democrats met in the state Capitol to cast the state’s 10 electoral votes for Biden.
At the same time, the Republican fake electors gathered in another part of the Capitol to fill out paperwork claiming Trump had won.
They submitted their filings to Congress, the National Archives, a federal judge and then-Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug La Follette. Chesebro was in the room during the meeting.
At the time, the fake electors said they held the meeting only to ensure the state’s electoral votes were cast for Trump if a court later determined he was the true winner of the state.
In efforts to have the case dismissed, Troupis claimed the electors met and cast their ballot only to preserve their legal options, in case the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Trump the winner of Wisconsin, arguing no crime was committed.
The 10 electors have not been criminally charged related to the fake documents. The group settled a lawsuit in 2023 filed by the real Biden electors against them over their role in the scheme. As a part of the settlement, the false electors acknowledged their actions were used in an attempt to overturn an election.
Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com.
Wisconsin
NCAA women’s hockey power rankings: Wisconsin overpowers Ohio State
Wroblewski on Abbey Murphy’s game
After their win against Canada in Game 1 of the rivalry series, Coach Wroblewski talks about Abbey Murphy’s game after having a hat trick.
Sports Seriously
The University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team might have the best goaltender, best defender and best offensive depth in the nation right now. They proved it this weekend, sweeping their series against No. 2 Ohio State.
Princeton was the biggest climber in this week’s NCAA women’s hockey power rankings, finding its way into the top 10 after beating a pair of nationally ranked programs, while Cornell dropped both of its games.
North America’s top players will head to Edmonton, Alberta, this week for the Canadian leg of the Rivalry Series, while NCAA players from Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Czechia are headed overseas to compete in the Women’s Euro Hockey Tour, their last chance to perform internationally ahead of the 2026 Olympics in February.
Here are the top 10 NCAA women’s hockey programs this week.
Women’s college hockey power rankings
1. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
After sweeping Ohio State 2-1 and 6-1, Wisconsin entrenched its claim to the top spot in the nation. Ava McNaughton stopped 60 of 62 shots and was perhaps the biggest difference between the teams. Right now, the only thing between Wisconsin and back-to-back titles is their ability to weather the Olympics, where as many as six members of their lineup will be in action.
2. Ohio State (WCHA)
Ohio State had its chance against No. 1 Wisconsin. The Buckeyes weren’t significantly outshot or outplayed but still got swept. Joy Dunne and Hilda Svensson, November’s WCHA forward and rookie of the month, respectively, were held without a goal. It was Ohio State’s only chance to show it can beat Wisconsin best-on-best, as the next time the teams face off in early February, they will be without their Olympians.
3. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
Whether it was Abbey Murphy, Josefin Bouveng, Sydney Morrow or Jamie Nelson, Minnesota’s seniors made the difference in a pair of conference wins over St. Thomas. Bouveng is tied with Wisconsin’s Caroline Harvey for the longest point streak in the nation, hitting the scoresheet in 17 consecutive games, while Murphy set a program record, scoring her 26th career game-winning goal.
4. University of Minnesota-Duluth (WCHA)
Eve Gascon stopped 50 of 51 shots she faced for the Bulldogs, which beat Bemidji State 4-1 and 4-0. Gascon’s 20-save shutout was her fourth of the season. She had something to prove after being left off Canada’s Rivalry Series roster for December. Offensively, Minnesota-Duluth has work to do after being outshot by Bemidji State in the first game of their series, but they looked much stronger in the second.
5. Penn State (Atlantic Hockey America)
Penn State doesn’t play again until Dec. 30, but their next three games will define their season, playing Cornell and a series against Ohio State. The Nittany Lions don’t face the same skill level in Atlantic Hockey America, so these upcoming games will be an important test ahead of the national tournament, which they’ll host at Pegula Ice Arena from March 20 to 22.
6. Northeastern (Hockey East)
It was an emotional weekend as Northeastern played its final game at the historic Matthews Arena. Captain Lily Shannon was Hockey East’s player of the month in November. Jules Constantinople was the top defender and forward Stryker Zablocki was the top rookie in November as well. They carried a hot streak over into this weekend’s series sweep of Boston College, helping lead the way for the Huskies.
7. Quinnipiac (ECAC)
After shutting out Cornell 3-0, the Bobcats lost 2-1 in overtime to Colgate in an upset. The Bobcats can find their way out of the ECAC logjam if they can consistently produce secondary offense. The team relies too heavily on Kahlen Lamarche as the primary goal-scorer. Right now, their best threats behind Lamarche are often defenders Makayla Watson and Zoe Uens.
8. Cornell (ECAC)
Cornell fell 3-0 to Quinnipiac and 3-2 to Princeton. Annelies Bergmann looked human in net, allowing three goals on 18 shots in both games. Cornell entered the weekend second in the nation in goals-against average at 1.64. That number rose this weekend, and after Cornell losses to Vermont, Syracuse and Union last month, teams believe they can beat the Big Red on any given night.
9. Connecticut (Hockey East)
UConn continues to quietly put together wins, including going 1-for-2 against Boston University this past weekend. They tied the first game but lost in a shootout. Scoring continues to be their challenge as some of their top players, including Claire Murdoch and Julia Pellerin, have yet to find their way this season. Tia Chan remains Connecticut’s biggest asset in net.
10. Princeton (ECAC)
Beating Colgate and Cornell this week, Princeton’s leaders were Mackenzie Alexander and 2026 PWHL Draft prospect Issy Wunder. It often takes Ivy League schools longer to hit their stride in NCAA women’s hockey as they start their season a month later than the rest of the nation. Princeton may still be scratching the surface of its potential this season.
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