Wisconsin is sitting at 2-6 with just four games left in the season.
PublishedOctober 31, 2025 10:05 AM EDT•UpdatedOctober 31, 2025 10:05 AM EDT
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The Wisconsin Badgers falling off a cliff reportedly will come with serious financial ramifications.
The Badgers are sitting at 2-6 going into the bye this weekend, and to say fans have given up hope would be a massive understatement.
Luke Fickell is fighting for his job every single day the sun comes up in Madison. “Fire Fickell!” chants are the new normal in Madison, and there’s no sunshine at the end of the tunnel.
One critical data point I have constantly talked about is money, and it turns out the situation might be even worse than I thought.
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Why hasn’t Wisconsin fired Luke Fickell? The team is 2-6 with just four games left. (Photo by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Wisconsin football collapse comes at steep price.
The University of Wisconsin’s Center for Research on Wisconsin Economy did a study on the financial impact of the collapse, according to Fox6, and the results are beyond painful.
Football profits directly earned by the school are expected to drop $20 million, and the state as a whole could suffer a $280 million hit.
You read that correctly. The football team no longer being a competitive program is expected to cost the state more than a quarter of a billion dollars.
Wisconsin’s football team collapsing is expected to have a staggering financial impact on the state. (Photo by Dan Sanger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
People are busy arguing about Luke Fickell’s buyout. That’s amateur hour chatter. The big brain people – like myself – are looking at the money drying up and realize it’s a far more pressing concern.
Does the program want to pay roughly $28 million in buyout cash or lose around $280 million for the state and $20 million in direct earnings to the program?
It’s just math, folks. It’s not complicated. I’d much rather bite the bullet on $28 million than $280 million, and anyone saying differently should never be trusted to hand out financial advice.
Wisconsin’s football team has turned into a pathetic joke. (Photo by Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Having said all that, watching the Badgers turn into a circus has been surprisingly fun. It seems like there can’t possibly be a new rock bottom……..and there always is! What a sad time for Wisconsin fans, and it can always get much worse. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.