Wren Baker Details How WVU Will Distribute Money in Revenue Sharing Era

WVU director of athletics Wren Baker has continuously expressed his confidence in the new revenue sharing model across college sports. Barker has made it clear he believes this new system will allow West Virginia to compete on a national level.

Even with Baker’s confidence, there are still questions about how revenue sharing will actually work. Baker was asked directly about how WVU will distribute money while being interviewed by Cody Nespor of Gold and Blue Nation (and formerly WV Sports Now) at the Big 12 Media Days event.

As expected, Baker is planning to do what’s both fair and necessary.

West Virginia will distribute money across its athletic department based on what programs generate. The sports who generate the most will get the most as calculated on a rolling average.

“We just felt like if we’re going to do this, what’s the most fairest way to do it and what’s the most nondiscriminatory way to do it, and that’s the way we felt like we need to do it.”

Obviously, this will lead to a significant amount of the money going towards football and men’s basketball following next in line.

While some may try to argue performance should matter, football needs the most money for the cost of operating and to try to compete. In addition to what’s needed facility and staff wise, there are more players on the roster and the market value for paying players is higher for WVU football than any other team.

Translation: football and MBB will get significantly more and MBB will get more than the women even if they perform better on the court. It has to be this way but this is the case. And honestly, it needs to be like this based on cost of doing business and competing. https://t.co/v3TeT5NAv1

— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) July 10, 2025

And even with the recent success of the WVU women’s basketball team, the men will always generate more money and be of greater interest to most fans, fair or not. The history and popularity of the WVU men’s team isn’t going to be overshadowed by the women no matter what happens on the court.

Baker even further explained why this is the best plan for WVU.

“We have these buckers of revenue that are part of the settlement identified. What percentage did you contribute? It’s really the most fair way to do it,” he added.

Baker also offered a statement about West Virginia’s place in the future of college sports when the House vs. NCAA case was settled in June.

“With the approval of the House Settlement, a new era of college athletics is here. Schools can now share revenue directly with student-athletes with oversight from the newly established College Sports Commission,” Baker said.

“West Virginia University Athletics has been working and planning for this day for a long time to best position our department for future long-term success. While we will have further updates soon, I want to let Mountaineer Nation know that our tradition and place on the national stage is at the forefront of our decision-making process.

WVSN photo by Kelsie LeRose

We will fully participate in revenue sharing as the House Settlement offers stability, fairness and opportunity under the guidance of the [College Sports Commission]. It’s a new day in college athletics and WVU will be strategically positioned to continue competing at the highest levels. Let’s Go!”

And as far as what could mean extra new revenue, Baker is not ready to drop any naming rights announcements just yet, granted he did confirm at least one should be coming soon.

For a related story, WV Sports Now’s Mike Asti looks into if Wren Baker is actually a legitimate candidate for another job at a big time brand.