In the Group of Five conferences and the non-FBS leagues sharing revenue is more difficult. At that level, athletic departments do not normally turn a profit, rely heavily on university and state funding and often struggle, in this NIL era, to offer athletes much in third-party benefits. The average G5 collective is believed to have on hand around $1 million compared to the $5-15 million in the power conferences. At the non-FBS leagues, the numbers are believed to be far lower than even those in the G5.
For those conferences, such as the Big East, the back damages loom as a significant expense compared to their athletic budget. Because the NCAA’s formula is calculated on basketball-related distribution and not total athletic budget, the Big East is at a financial disadvantage.