Projected revenue and ticket sales for men’s and women’s basketball at the University of Minnesota are trending similarly to last season. Both teams are coming off losing Big Ten records last season, with the women predicted to have a possible winning year in conference games but the men are forecasted to finish toward the bottom of the 18-team league.
Sports Headliners received information last week from the University through the discovery process. Projected revenue from men’s home ticket sales for the 2025-2026 season is $2,356,000, compared with $2,071,000 in actual revenue last season. The women’s projection is $476,000, compared with $491,000 last season.
The men’s team, including exhibition games, will play two fewer home games in the coming season versus 2024-2025. The 19-game home schedule has the U projecting an increase in revenue despite fewer games and no significant change in ticket prices.
The arrival of new coach Niko Medved has changed some attitudes about a program which in two of the last three years had last place finishes in the Big Ten. Asked why fans are buying tickets, the U report said it’s because of “general excitement and optimism” about the new coaching staff.
Season ticket sales though are similar to last year, with many fans taking a wait and see approach that could result in increased single game sales and a final home attendance average bettering last season’s 8,705 while making good on the revenue projection. As of last week (October 21), 6,195 single game tickets were sold.
The Wisconsin game on January 25 is the closest to a sellout at 14,625 seat capacity Williams Arena. Tickets distributed for the most popular games on the schedule are:
Wisconsin: 7,886
Indiana: 7,824
Iowa: 7,473
UCLA: 7,463
Season ticket sales, including U staff-faculty, were reported at 4,438, compared to last year’s final total of 4,467. With the season opener not until November 3 and the first home Big Ten game on December 3, additional season tickets will be sold.
The U reported 284 partial season tickets sold, compared to 246 on the same date a year ago. The total last season was 425, indicating partial season tickets for 2025-2026 are on a similar trend.
Student season tickets for men’s games were reported at 1,930, compared to the prior year total of 1,992. There are no plans to give away tickets to students or the public, per the U report.
The women’s team will also play two fewer home games in the coming season versus 2024-2025. The 16-game home schedule had sold 2,486 public season tickets, including U-staff-faculty, as of last week. That total, which likely will increase, already surpasses last year’s figure of 2,309.
The women’s program is led by third-year coach Dawn Plitzuweit. In her first season home attendance was 4,772 but declined to 3,819 in 2024-2025.
A total of 4,357 single game tickets have been sold so far. The most in demand home games are Purdue, Maryland and Wisconsin with over 3,000 tickets distributed for each.
The U reported recent team success and returning players are attracting ticket buyers including partial season tickets with that total at 96 as of October 21 versus 78 a year prior. The total for 2024-2025 was 279 sold over the course of the season.
Students are admitted free to women’s home games. There are no season or single game sales to students.
At this time there are no plans for distributing free tickets to the public, per the report.