• Loading stock data...
Friday, October 31, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

SEC Earns Record $70M in Men’s March Madness Units

After sending 14 teams to the tournament and notching 22 wins, the SEC earned more prize payouts than any other conference in NCAA history.

Mar 30, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome (4), left, guard Tahaad Pettiford (0) and head coach Bruce Pearl celebrate with teammates after winning the South Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament against the Michigan State Spartans at State Farm Arena.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Since sending a record 14 teams to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament this year, the SEC has smashed multiple conference records in the sport. The most recent: the amount of prize payouts the NCAA distributes based on participation and prowess in the Big Dance.

The conference has earned $70 million in NCAA “units,” more than any other league in NCAA history. 

“In the SEC, we believe the financial results follow the underlying work, and we remain laser focused on our work,” SEC associate commissioner of men’s basketball, Garth Glissman, tells Front Office Sports.

The NCAA pays conferences one unit, worth roughly $2 million, for each school that makes the tournament outside of the automatic qualifier (the conference tournament champion). So while 14 SEC schools punched tickets to men’s March Madness, 13 earned units—starting the conference off with $26 million in payouts before the tournament even began. 

Then, schools earn another unit for every win they get in the tournament all the way up to the championship game. SEC schools totalled 22 wins, a record in itself. Auburn and Florida earned the final two units for the SEC after securing their Final Four berths. There are no units awarded for making the championship game or winning the tournament (though the SEC is guaranteed at least one team in the title game, given that Auburn and Florida are playing each other in the Final Four).

That’s not all: Conferences also get a slice of the Equal Conference Fund for their automatic qualifier. But the prize payout system is much less—around $55 million is distributed equally among leagues, so each conference earns slightly less than the value of one unit. 

Conferences don’t receive all their units right away however. They’re split up and distributed to the conference on a six-year rolling basis. But even with a slight delay, they offer major benefits to the leagues and incentives for investing in men’s basketball.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sponsored

How HOKA is Reimagining the NIL Relationship

TNT Sports is going all-in on college athletics—bringing fans closer and giving brands a powerful new way to connect.
Oct 13, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Susanna Sullivan of the United States of America finishes seventh in the Chicago Marathon at Grant Park

More Races, More Money: How Pro Marathoners Are Earning More

More races per year mean more money—but the math isn’t simple.

LSU Officials Vow Stability: ‘Not Broken’ With Coach and AD Gone

Officials announced a search committee and tried to correct the record.

Featured Today

Oct 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium.

Shohei Ohtani Card Market Is Surging—With No Signs of Slowing

Cards have spiked hundreds of thousands of dollars from their initial value.
September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium
October 26, 2025

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
Sep 6, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly looks on against Louisiana Tech Bulldogs during the second half at Tiger Stadium.

The Governor Who Inserted Himself Into a College Football Coaching Search

The governor said he was concerned taxpayers would be left paying Kelly’s buyout.
Oct 4, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) takes hits from UCLA Bruins linebacker Jalen Woods (9) and defensive back Rodrick Pleasant (18) during the fourth quarter at Rose Bowl.
October 30, 2025

Rose Bowl Lawsuit Claims UCLA Tried to Move Games to SoFi Stadium

UCLA has called the Rose Bowl home since the early 1980s.
Florida Gators linebacker Shemar James (6) tackles Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp (4) during the first quarter of an NCAA college football matchup Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Florida Gators 34-20.
October 30, 2025

Florida-Georgia Rivalry Hits the Road—Still Nets Almost $10M Payouts

The annual rivalry game in Jacksonville is taking a two-year road trip.
Sponsored

Why Alexis Ohanian Is Betting Big on Women’s Sports

Alexis Ohanian reflects on his evolution from Reddit cofounder to one of today’s most dynamic sports investors.
Harold Perkins Jr interception as LSU Tigers take on the Texas A&M Aggies. October 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; at Tiger Stadium. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.
October 29, 2025

Louisiana Governor Says LSU Athletic Director Will Not Choose Next Football Coach

Jeff Landry has little confidence in Scott Woodward.
Sankey
October 28, 2025

SEC’s Sankey Blasts NCAA Plan to Allow Pro Sports Betting

NCAA athletes can bet on professional sports starting Nov. 1.
October 28, 2025

SEC Coaches Kiffin, Smart Question LSU’s Firing of Kelly: ‘Ridiculous’ 

Three SEC teams have fired their football coaches midseason.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry speaks to an audience at Louisiana Tech University on Aug. 25, 2025.
October 28, 2025

Why Louisiana’s Governor Was Involved in the Brian Kelly Firing

Jeff Landry reportedly hosted a meeting at the governor’s mansion Sunday.