Red Raider Review

Where Does Texas Tech Rank Among NIL Spending?

New survey shows the ten colleges who spent the most in NIL
JD Andress|
Stanford transfer David Bailey makes his debut at Texas Tech's spring football practice, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at the Womble Football Center.
Stanford transfer David Bailey makes his debut at Texas Tech's spring football practice, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at the Womble Football Center. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While West Texas is claimed to be the Lone Star State's greatest secret, the NIL funding that has emerged from that area has not been.

Backed by a billionaire booster, and eccentric fans who are eager to watch their Red Raiders succeed in college sports, Texas Tech has become a force to be reckoned with in terms of NIL deals and revenue sharing payout.

Despite all of the noise they have made around the nation, where exactly does the Matador Club and the Texas Tech administration rank among the other NIL collectives in the country?

Location Inflation

According to the report by On3, in a survey from 17 stakeholders around the country, Texas Tech was ranked second in NIL spending.

While reports came out at the Big 12 Media Days where coaches around the conference shared their thoughts on the Red Raiders spending, with a few calling it "childish" and "dumb", the money reflected a well thought out portal class that is rich in talent, and cost.

Sources speculate that Texas Tech has spent close to 29 million on their roster for the 2025 season. Landing prized transfer portal players such as Cash Cleveland from Colorado and David Bailey from Stanford, the total started to add up.

They also found themselves in a bidding war with Ohio State over USC running back Quentin Joyner, with the Red Raiders coming out on top, securing Joyner, and a $700,000 price tag with him.

Part of the hefty price is due to the location Texas Tech is in. Lubbock, despite being great in it's own way, is not an appealing location for 18-22 year old college athletes. Luring them from bigger cities such as Los Angeles and Austin, is part of the price tag.

Despite the challenged though, the Red Raiders remain heavy spenders, proving that despite a location deemed unappealing, the gold of a national championship trophy can spruce up any city.

Recommended Articles

Published
JD Andress
JD ANDRESS

JD Andress is an accomplished sports writer and journalist with extensive experience covering a wide range of collegiate sports. JD has provided in-depth coverage of the TCU Horned Frogs and the Texas Longhorns. He looks forward to being part of the coverage of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. His experience spans various sports, including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, rifle, equestrian, and others, reflecting his broad interest and commitment to sports journalism.

Home/Football