USA TODAY Sports covered the record-setting distribution payments made by the Big Ten to its member schools, which highlights the strength and financial health of the conference.

While the magnitude of revenue distribution to each school is certainly notable, there were other interesting metrics disclosed in the Big Ten's revenue announcement for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

Perhaps one figure that went largely unnoticed is the $5 million the Big Ten invested in officiating technology during that period. In an age where technology is used more than ever to confirm calls on the field of play, the capital directed towards this area of sports is certainly something to keep in mind when thinking about the business of sports.

For context, this expenditure would likely not include compensation for officials on the field of play. It's been estimated that college football officials earn somewhere between $3,000 to $5,000 per game, for example.

While much of the budgetary focus in college sports has shifted to NIL package offerings, it's important to remember that power conferences spend a pretty penny to ensure that games are legislated accurately.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Big Ten spent $5 million on new officiating technologies