Big-time college athletics: Are they worth the big-time costs?

[Muck]

While the article uses UC as one of it's poster children I thought it merited it's own discussion

USA Today

Being in a power conference has its privileges.

At Cincinnati, competing in the Big East means going to the Sugar Bowl to play Florida. It means a good shot at a place in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. And there's having your name known nationally.

But membership has a price. Cincinnati now depends on university subsidies for one-third of its athletic revenue ? nearly double the amount it received in 2004-05. And it has accumulated $24 million in athletic operating debt, even with the subsidies.

The financial situation has gotten critical enough that the school convened a task force, whose draft report last week recommended that the university raise tuition and fees and use more general fund money to support

high-profile athletics and erase the debt ? if it wants to remain competitive in the Big East. The school switched from Conference USA in 2005.

Student government President Tim Lolli, a member of the task force, said big-time sports has "ancillary benefits. ? Student involvement is up on campus. There's a better feeling on campus, more pride for the university. It's something that connects students to the university other than going to class."

Faculty members, however, worry about the recommendations' long-term costs, especially since they've already faced state cuts and slowdowns in hiring and are bracing for heavier workloads and bigger classes.
"We are thrilled with the success of the football team, both academically and athletically," faculty chairwoman Marla Hall says. "But we are concerned about the use of general fund money for anything that is not central to the academic mission of the university. And there does not appear to be a direct correlation between athletic departments' budgets and the success of their teams."

She said the faculty would discuss resolutions next month.


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[sandgk]

I had occasion to read that in print when it came out in the Thursday paper.

There is also a useful database summarizing cost breakdowns and revenue streams or direct institutional suppor for each D1A program that publicly reports.

(This means you will not find costs reported for ND nor for USC).

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Sadly, for most universities, the answer is no. Their subsidies suck funds away from the academic side of the university, as well as student "fees" that could more directly benefit the vast majority of students with no proven peripheral benefits to the university in terms of overall fundraising or student recruitment.

I love college sports, but for all but the chosen few, they are a bottomless pit of wasted resources.