OMAHA, Neb. –– Omaha Athletics sustained its status as a peer leader among NCAA Division I-AAA departments in fiscal year 2026, as the Mavericks broke box office records and began construction on $67.5 million in capital projects, furthering Omaha's athletic momentum.
"These record-breaking revenues across fundraising, ticketing, corporate partnerships and concessions, along with continued growth in licensing royalties, reflect the momentum and the strength of the Omaha Athletics brand," Vice Chancellor / Director of Athletics Adrian Dowell said. "Thanks to the transformational support of our stakeholders, Omaha Athletics has become a revenue-generation leader among our NCAA Division I-AAA peers. As we look toward to the upcoming year, we are incredibly grateful for the supporters who continue to fuel our progress, create new opportunities and resources that allow us to strategically reinvest in our student-athletes and coaches as we chase excellence for our sport programs."
The ONE Fund
In FY26, Omaha led DI-AAA institutions in fundraising with $62.5 million raised. This total marks Omaha's best year for athletic fundraising. The Mavericks welcomed 2,635 donors for its second highest donor count ever and the second straight year over 2,600 total donors. The number of donors supporting athletics has more than doubled since 2022.
During Wear Black, Give Back, Omaha reached new heights with 1,386 gifts totaling $215,992 for a record number of donors, gifts and funds from the campaign. Omaha Softball hit a new high in donors with an increase of 50% from FY25 to FY26.
Ticket Sales and Concessions Revenue
Total ticketing revenue climbed 12% to more than $3.4 million, driven by a more than 300% increase in Hockey outbound sales. New for the 2025-26 academic year, Omaha Athletics partnered with Taymar Sales U to manage box office sales strategy and operations. Omaha Softball set a Connie Claussen Field attendance record with 2,320 fans vs. Nebraska on April 11, 2026. The Maverick Softball program welcomed a record total of 10,706 fans over the course of the home regular season. Hockey remains a national leader in attendance as the program ranked seventh nationally in total attendance in NCAA Division I with 104,990 fans attending games in Baxter Arena. In total, Omaha hosted 105 paid athletic events across Baxter Arena, Caniglia Field and Maverick Park, in addition to 46 non-Omaha events. Between the different venues, Omaha sold $3.2 million worth of concessions, marking a 6.67% increase from FY25. The Mavericks led DI-AAA public institutions in concession sales and ticket sales for the year.
Strategic Partnerships
Corporate sponsorships, led by Learfield's Omaha Sports Properties, also reached record highs in FY26 with 40 new partners adding to a record 102 corporate sponsors of Omaha Athletics to account for a new high in total revenue totaling nearly $3 million in FY26. Once again, the Mavericks lead DI-AAA public institutions in this category.
In trailblazing fashion, Omaha Sports Properties signed deals for two jersey patches, just months after the NCAA allowed patch sponsorship. Hockey's deal with Control Services was the first in collegiate hockey. Men's Basketball's deal with MCL Construction was the first in the Summit League. Both deals made Omaha the first Division I-AAA department to sign sponsorship deals for jersey patches.
Brand Management and Licensing
Brand management and licensing continued their upward trajectory in FY26. The department generated more than $1.1 million in licensed merchandise sales and $154,169 in royalty revenue, marking the second-highest royalty total in program history while surpassing FY25 in both licensed sales and royalty revenue. These totals mark a 3% increase in royalties and a 6% increase in sales. Growth was driven by continued expansion across multiple retail channels, increased demand for licensed merchandise, and strategic brand management initiatives. Throughout the year, Omaha Athletics continued building momentum behind the 'OMA,' '402' and script Omaha brand identities while expanding the department's official BSN Sideline Gear Store and licensed merchandise portfolio, making Maverick-branded apparel and merchandise more accessible to fans and supporters.
Mavs in the Media
Omaha Athletics continues to serve as a beacon for the institution on the national stage with the Mavericks capturing more than 7.06 million views last year through traditional media resulting in more than $2.4 million in advertising value. The department and its sport programs have received placement on CBS Sports, FOX Sports and broadcast mediums, ESPN platforms, Sports Business Journal and The Athletic/New York Times, among others, in addition to key media mentions in the Omaha metro in the Omaha World-Herald and on KETV, KMTV, WOWT, 1620 the Zone, KFAB and Hurrdat Sports.
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