UCLA Athletics is finally showing some signs of life in the accounting department. After years of bleeding cash left and right, the latest financial reports say the Bruins showed improvement and are moving in a much better direction than they were last year. But the word is they might trip on another off-field pitfall.

The UCLA Bruins athletic department reported a $21.6 million deficit for the fiscal year ending in June 2025. Even though it’s an 8-figure blow to the program, it is a big improvement from the massive $51.8 million loss they took the year before. While they are still spending more than they make, moving to the Big Ten Conference has finally started to pay off with a huge jump in TV money.

The biggest reason for the smaller deficit is the new Big Ten media deal. This has brought in roughly three times more cash than UCLA was getting from the Pac-12. This “spigot of cash” was a main driver for the move, helping the school stay competitive as costs for things like travel and athlete support continue to climb across the country.

“The 2024-25 season was our first full season in the Big Ten Conference, and the financials reflect what we anticipated during the transition. Revenue increased, driven largely by our conference media rights and distributions, while expenses also rose due to transition-related costs and increased investments in student-athlete well-being and support.” UCLA AD said in a statement.

Fiscal responsibility remains a priority, and we are actively reviewing spending and identifying efficiencies while continuing to work with campus leadership on a multi-year plan to ensure long-term stability in a rapidly changing college athletics landscape.”

However, it wasn’t purely just the new revenue. The main UCLA campus had to step in with a $30 million subsidy to help balance the books. This is the second year in a row the university has given a $30 million assist, totaling $60 million over two years. This support is vital because the department has now run a deficit for six years straight, racking up a total debt of about $219.5 million since 2019.

There are also some new “bills” UCLA has to pay now that they’ve changed conferences. For one, they have to pay a $10 million annual “Calimony” fee to UC Berkeley for at least the next three years to make up for the revenue gap their move created. On top of that, new legal settlements and roster changes are expected to add another $22 million to $25 million in yearly expenses starting in 2025.

Looking ahead, while the Big Ten money helps, the university’s Academic Senate is worried. They pointed out that the campus itself is facing its own huge projected deficit of nearly $400 million annually by 2026. Because of this, faculty leaders are asking for a closer look at how much the school can keep subsidizing sports while other academic programs are facing budget cuts.

However, on the logistical side, Bob Chesney’s Bruins are looking at $1 billion worth of legal problems.

Rose Bowl vs UCLA’s court battle

Pasadena is absolutely fuming and has slapped UCLA with a potential $1 billion lawsuit. The city and the Rose Bowl folks are trying to block the Bruins from ditching their historic home for the shiny new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. They’re calling the move a total betrayal, especially since UCLA is obligated to play in Pasadena until 2043.

The drama kicked off when secret emails leaked, showing UCLA was already flirting with SoFi management. Pasadena says not only a broken promise but also a daunting financial nightmare. The city is still paying off hundreds of millions in debt from stadium renovations. They are counting on UCLA’s rent and the fans’ spending money to keep the lights on.

UCLA tried to keep this fight quiet in private arbitration. But the judge recently ruled that the case has to go to a public jury trial. This might catch the university in many ways, as they’ll have to defend their “evaluation” of SoFi in open court.

Meanwhile, the city even dragged Stan Kroenke (the Rams owner) into the suit, accusing him of trying to poach the Bruins. Right now, it’s a total standoff. UCLA hasn’t officially signed a deal with SoFi yet. But with a billion-dollar price tag on the line, this is easily the biggest legal drama in college sports right now.