Memphis AD Ed Scott reveals $9 million rev-share budget for men's basketball, $7 million for football in 2026-27

With the revenue-share cap set to increase July 1, Memphis AD Ed Scott confirmed the Tigers will fully opt in to the expected $21.3 million allotment. He also broke down how much men’s basketball and football will receive.

Scott told 92.9-FM ESPN that the Memphis men’s basketball program will get $9 million in fiscal year 2026-27, which begins July 1. Football, meanwhile, will get $7 million. Those numbers are strictly from revenue-sharing and do not include third-party NIL opportunities for athletes.

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The increased allotment is a testament to what Penny Hardaway has done to build the Memphis men’s basketball program, Scott said Wednesday. He also confirmed the program received $4.99 million in rev-share last year, which he said was the highest allotment in the American for men’s basketball.

“I can tell you, as of today … men’s basketball is going to be at $9 million guaranteed rev-share,” Scott said on the J&J Show. “And a lot of credit to Penny Hardaway. We did that joint press conference. You heard his plan. He’s been out executing his plan.

“The athletic department is up to what we can give them, the university has stepped in and I can tell you, in the almost two years that I’ve been here, Anfernee ‘Penny’ Hardaway has never worked harder, probably in his career as a coach, to garner support. He’s done a really good job partnering with me to help me get that money to where it is today.”

Memphis went 13-19 overall last year, including an 8-10 mark in American Conference play. The Tigers then announced Hardaway would be back as head coach in 2026-27 with the expectation of staff changes and the hiring of a general manager. Memphis hired Gabriel Harris to the role in April.

Ed Scott: ‘Goal’ is to get football to $10 million in 2027-28

On the football side, as he enters his first season as Memphis head coach, Charles Huff received $7 million in revenue-sharing from the university. Ed Scott said that has to do with when football players can sign with programs and how it lines up in the fiscal year.

Because basketball signs in April, Hardaway and men’s basketball are “up first” while setting the budget. However, Scott said he made a commitment to Huff to get the football team up to $10 million and potentially beyond next year. He also revealed last year’s rev-share total was second in the American only to USF.

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“Huff is on a $7 million rev-share roster,” Scott said. “The reason why is we set our rev-share budgets for the start of the fiscal year. Penny’s up first because his guys sign in April when that portal opens up. I think the average fan doesn’t realize that. … We set the budget for football last year at $7 million. So that means that half of the year, they get it. And then, this half of the year, the back half – because football’s a calendar year. Easiest way to explain it. Football’s portal opens in January. So their budget is already set before that portal opens. Huff knows.

“I had a conversation with him at ‘Tigers on Tour’ in Atlanta … Huff and I were talking and I said, my goal is to get you $10 million, if not above that, next year in rev-share. What that does is that puts football at the level that they need to be at. We cannot deny that Memphis basketball is something special. It’s different than other places.”

‘I’m the person who signs every single contract’

As he evaluated Memphis’ standing in the post-House landscape, Ed Scott said he was previously “reluctant” to disclose specific rev-share numbers. He cited the need to make sure the Tigers were in the “right situation” before doing so.

In addition, he wanted to push back on the idea of taking money from men’s basketball to give to the football program. Scott said he knows that’s not true because he signs the contracts for Memphis athletes.

“That’s why, when I hear people say I’m taking money from basketball to give to football … it’s factually inaccurate,” Scott said. “You know how I know that? I’m the person who signs every single contract that pays the kids.

“Nobody else has signatory authority. Penny doesn’t sign these contracts. Huff doesn’t sign them. I sign them on behalf of the university.”