This is an easily disproven concept. UConn joined the BE in 2003, in its first year of league play the football team earned more than the bball team. The bball team won a NC in '99 and would win another in '04...while the football team won the Motor City Bowl.

45,000 seats x 6 games (let alone 100K) is far more profitable than 11,000x16...and if you're average, there's no $1mil payouts for rent-a-loss bball games. If it's even worth delving deeper, the team shares for NCAA tourney progression are minimal compared to a mid level bowl game.