PHOENIX -- Days before UCLA won its first NCAA women’s basketball championship, AD Martin Jarmond spoke with two of the program’s many donors at the Final Four. Buoyed by the Bruins’ success, they wanted to increase their commitment -- including one who upped the gift to six figures after initially agreeing to donate during the Big Ten tournament just last month.
With UCLA’s convincing win over South Carolina on Sunday, it’s that well-worn funding path in college that gives the school the greatest odds of remaining among the women’s basketball elite in the country. The NCAA’s distribution of revenue sharing units for success in the tournament, approved in 2025 for the women, is something that will add revenue to the program, if to a smaller degree.
“You don’t see that big of an impact from the units necessarily,” Jarmond said. “Where you see it is from the individual and the corporate giving and philanthropy that comes with this success.”
After a run to the Final Four last season as well, that success in Phoenix gave the Bruins their second national championship in the sport with UCLA claiming the 1978 title in the AIAW.
The Bruins are set to receive funds from their run last year, with units earned in the 2025 tournament vesting in the coming weeks. Those were valued at $251,000 per unit over three years but split among the 18-member conference will represent a five-figure increase for their own success.
With a sliding scale in their first three years, women’s basketball units will jump from $15M total last year to $20M for this year’s tournament before increasing to $25M in 2027.
Even with a bigger payout for a run to the national title and 12 Big Ten teams in the tournament boosting the revenue from unit distribution, the Bruins are certain to see greater increases from donor giving and corporate deals.
“What I hope is that this run inspires corporate sponsors and alumni and fans to get behind this team and this program to make sure we’re not two Final Fours in a row and that’s it,” Jarmond said. “We want to be a continual Final Four [contender] because if you get in that range where you’re a 1-seed, a 2-seed, 3-seed consistently, then you’ve got a chance every year.”
Erin Adkins, Exec Senior Associate AD/NIL Strategy & Initiatives, said UCLA has worked to be additive in securing NIL deals for its athletes. While the Bruins’ stars -- including Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez -- have representation and national deals, UCLA works to connect them with other interested brands who might come through the school.
All of UCLA’s points in the national championship came from seniors or graduate students. UCLA will undoubtedly feel pressure and need donor support to help refuel the seven-figure revenue sharing amounts necessary to have a competitive roster at this level.
With the transfer portal opening Monday and a need to reload, the Bruins will be looking for the dollars to keep them in the hunt for another national title.
“Now there’s more of a sense of urgency,” Adkins said. “Let’s keep this going because we have this moment right now. Let’s take advantage of it.”
