Intercollegiate Sports Dr. Jack C. Watson II SEP 271

Thematic Outline History of Intercollegiate sports Control of Intercollegiate athletics Athletic Departments –Budgets –Problems –Paying athletes Education Probability of moving on Thematic Summary Discussion Questions

Intercollegiate Sports 1852 Rowing race between Harvard and Yale 1869 football between Rutgers and Princeton 1881 Faculty athletic committee formed at Yale 1895 Big Ten formed 1905 National Organization for controlling collegiate sports was formed (Intercollegiate Athletic Association) 1910 NCAA formed

Intercollegiate Sports Women’s sports came under NCAA control in 1981 Initially formed by the students Took the form of private secondary schools in England Now considered corporate sport

Who Controls Collegiate Athletics? NCAA projected Revenue for was over $345,000,000 NCAA tournament rights bought for $6 billion. BCS television rights cost ABC $930 million BCS championship teams will receive $17 million Promotion of Heisman Hopefuls costs over $1 million Notre Dame contract with NBC $45 million NCAA

Coaching Salaries In excess of $2,000,000 Shoe endorsements Merchandise endorsements Television, Radio and Print Ads

Athletic Departments Division I: –Budgets commonly around $20 million –High end is $73 million Are not on average making money –70+% of division I athletic depts. operate in the red –4.9% of all departments operate in the black Winning does not increase academic funds –Actually increases athletic funds Charging thousands of dollars for seats and boxes

Problems related to the emphasis on money in collegiate sports Winning is important for making money –Coaches cheat to win Decisions are affected by donors –Television, less and worse seats for students –Who are intercollegiate sports for? Cheating coaches are still revered Focus is away from education Universities prostitute themselves to make money –cheating, corporatization, have students cheat or take easy majors, work around eligibility, bad recruiting Ath. Depts. take money from the general fund

Are Collegiate Athletes Amateurs? Is collegiate sport considered corporate sport? How much money can schools generate from sports? From athletes? Are athletics separated from academics? Is a scholarship a contract to work? Are collegiate athletes amateurs?

Should Student-Athletes by Paid? What do student-athletes get? –Commitment length What do student-athletes give to a university? –Commitment length Who makes out better on this deal? Payment is below the poverty line. Athletes are exploited. Would decrease profits!!! Would prevent tax exemptions!!!

NCAA Control over Athletes Enforce Amateurism Tax free status of athletic departments Athletes work for coaches and schools to make money Scholarship commitments for players and schools NCAA

Educational Performance H.S. Preparation of athletes Academic Performance –Easier majors –Less prepared –Low for revenue sports Graduation Rates –higher for whites, women and non-revenue athletes than non- athletes What holds athletes back from performing well? How can it be Improved? –Hold coaches and administrators responsible –Hire coaches as faculty members –Don’t let freshman play varsity sports –Enforce admissions requirements –Decrease time commitment –Bring athletic departments back to the university

Moving to the Next Level

Academics vs. Athletics Tension exists between collegiate athletics and values/goals of higher education values and goals –What are the values of each side? NCAA’s Mission is Clear: –to promote the marketability of college sports, while maintaining the amateurism and academic integrity of the athletes This is a Catch-22 –The more successful the NCAA is at one of these missions, the more difficult it is to maintain the other –What side is currently winning the battle? Will this balance ever swing the other direction? What would it take for this balance to swing?

Problems Resulting from NCAA Catch-22 Colleges want athletes to generate large sums of $ for relatively little compensation Intense competition exists for few professional roster spots To gain advance, athletes must focus nearly all attention on sport performance –Fine for those who make it –What about those who don’t Those who don’t make it often fall victim to academic, monetary, and injury problems

Thematic Review History of Intercollegiate sports Control of Intercollegiate athletics Athletic Departments –Budgets –Problems –Paying athletes Education Probability of moving on Catch-22 of Intercollegiate athletics

Discussion Questions Respond to the following statement: “Intercollegiate athletics thrive on the exploitation of athletes” What would be the effect of cutting major endorsement deals from sneaker, and TV companies on university athletics?