Great post by Nancy Hogshead-Makar:. The comments in this string are interesting, too. Key quote for me: Title IX rests on the proposition that athletics are an educational opportunity for the student, with life-long educational, economic and health benefits, and that women deserve equal educational opportunities. ======================================= It took my students in my sports law classes about two solid weeks to grasp that college football, with few exceptions, wasnt profitable. The idea is too culturally ingrained that college football makes money, hand-over-fist. So I made an offer: show me evidence of profitability broadly, and Ill bump your grade by a step. No one ever could. Yes, football brought in big $$, but the costs were more. Heres Andrew Zimbalist, co-author with me of Equal Play discussing NCAA FBS football: just 23 programs have any surplus, and those numbers dont account for capital costs like the stadiums, weight rooms and other facilities - while 105 do not; the average deficit is $14-$15 million, subsidized by student fees, donors, Uncle Sam, and direct university support. He also says that the new media money wont sustain itself - Ill have to ask him why he thinks that. Dan Marburger - another co-author - writes: Why does the U. of Wisconsins athletic department, with $150 million in revenues (2nd highest in all of college sports) receiving an $8 million subsidy? Why does the U. of Alabama (with $144 million in revenues---3rd highest in the NCAA) get a $6 million subsidy? Thirty-six percent of the expenses go to the salaries and benefits of the coaches and athletic department staff. There are 16 persons in the Alabama athletic department who make over $250,000/year! And they still have to be subsidized????? Followup: The data show that football is not profitable, the losses are more money than the entire womens athletics department. Title IX rests on the proposition that athletics are an educational opportunity for the student, with life-long educational, economic and health benefits, and that women deserve equal educational opportunities. If college sports is really about PR, why are taxpayers funding it via tax-deductible ticket sales, television revenues, sponsorships, donations, building with tax-free bonds, etc?
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 15:48:01 +0000
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