The (Hidden) Economics of College Sports
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2011-11-21/hidden-economics-college-sports
Even before Penn State's abuse scandal hit the headlines, many people were questioning the role MONEY plays in big-time college sports, and its disproportionate impact on University decision-making. While top-tier programs are often expensive to run, and some even operating in the red, Kojo explores the often-misunderstood economics of college athletics, including financially-motivated changes occurring at local schools like University of Maryland and Howard University.
Guests
Dave Zirin
Sports Editor, The Nation; Author, "The John Carlos Story" (Haymarket Books) and "Welcome to the Terrordome: The Pain, Politics, and Promise of Sports" (Haymarket Books)
Jeffrey Orleans
former executive director of the Ivy League; consultant for the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
Skip Perkins
Athletic Director, Howard University
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
I find it ironic that, at the same time that many people lament the rising costs of higher education, they seem to think nothing of universities spending $100K or more per student for athletics, which do not serve the academic mission. I do not believe the argument that revenue from these programs benefits anything other than sports. How do universities - and their students and alumni - justify these expenses while tuition is raised each year? Where is the outrage?
2 quick comments and observations:
In 1932 Groucho Marx commented on this very subject in the
movie "Horse Feathers".
Second, Donna Shalala, then President/Chancellor of the University of
Wisconsin-Madison, a big time sports school, threatened to end all
athletics if the football program didn't fix an approximate $ 10 million
budget deficit, which they did by going to the Rose Bowl that year. With
Presidents of major sports universities issues ultimatiums like that, how
will the system change.