Arizona State's 26 sports present unique challenges in NIL era

Neatly inscribed across the Arizona State charter, a string of words articulates a portion of the university’s operational mission. “ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes. ” This mission isn’t limited to academics.

It also rings true with the school’s athletic department. While universities across the country have  shuttered athletic programs at an alarming rate  over the past few years, ASU continues to stand pat. The average Division I school had 19 athletic teams in the 2024-25 school year, according to  the most recent data from NCAA.

org . Even with a football team, Arizona State deviates from the mean, fielding 26 intercollegiate varsity sports teams. That’s by far the most in the Big 12, with the Sun Devils maintaining one of the largest athletic departments in the nation, especially among the Power Four conferences.

“To me, it aligns perfectly with the charter of ASU of creating access and opportunities for all segments of the population in the community,” Sun Devils athletic director Graham Rossini told Cronkite News. “We take that charge and responsibility very seriously. ” In a rapidly evolving collegiate landscape, where cash and resources reign king, however, the challenge is for the athletic department to sponsor 26 intercollegiate teams and provide all of them with the necessary resources to compete at a high level.