Financially-Hit Arizona Won’t Cut Sports—For Now

Arizona Wildcats student-athletes who may have been worried about the future of their athletic program amid the university’s $240 million budget deficit can breathe easy—for the short term, at least.

As Arizona prepares to move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 this summer, athletic director Dave Heeke recently gave a public update on school finances, saying that there are no immediate plans to eliminate sports, despite previously ominous comments from Arizona president Robert Robbins. In November, Robbins said that “everything’s on the table in terms of dealing with athletics” and that “a lot of tough decisions” would be required.

Beyond Arizona’s university-wide concerns, a large issue stems from a yet-to-be-paid-back $55 million loan that the school provided to the athletic department during the pandemic. To combat the financial problems, Arizona athletics will continue a hiring freeze implemented last fall instead of cutting sports programs altogether. Additionally, all new major construction projects will be paused after the completion of a new golf center, and budgets have been pared back in other areas.

Arizona currently fields 23 varsity teams, six more than the Big 12 average. In its top revenue-generating sports, Arizona football finished 2023 with 10 wins and an Alamo Bowl victory over Oklahoma, while the men’s basketball team holds the No. 8 ranking in the country and is potentially poised for a deep run come March Madness.