Athletic conference realignment, while gaining prominent media coverage within the past 10 years, is not new (Kramer & Trivette, 2012). These conferences have been structured historically in two ways: 1) with a collection of institutions possessing similar academic and demographics configurations and 2) geographic proximity (Sweitzer, 2011). Supporting the claims of Sweitzer, Shuman and Bowen (2001), athletic conferences were historically created as a mechanism to promote “a dependable set of competitions with interests that were at least generally aligned with their own” (p. 16). Historically, scholars have not given much attention to the direct or indirect impact of athletic conference realignment on academic and athletic outcomes, and little attention has been paid to the quantification of the factors affecting athletic conferences. However, media sources have recently attempted to quantify the discourse around potential reasons why conference realignments occur. In reviewing these interviews, conversations with institutional decision-makers, and a press release from the NCAA, four primary reasons for change are mentioned: 1) increasing media exposure, 2) generating additional revenue through third-party sponsorships and media contracts, 3) generating a competitive athletic and scheduling advantage, and 4) access to national championship competitions. The recent wave of conference expansion is often attributed to events in early 2009 (Tribou, 2011). In particular, the Big Ten’s desire to add two teams to the conference created multiple discussions from other conferences on the possible expansion or retention of current members. Tribou (2011) stated that the primary motives for Big Ten’s expansion were related to the expansi... ... middle of paper ... ...n the influence of athletics on institutional policy-making remains under examined. Most of the literature provides descriptive, personal, or institutional accounts of the role of athletics in policy formation or outside calls for athletic-based reforms. Kezar and Eckel (2004) defines governance as the “process of policy-making and macro-level decision-making within higher education” (p. 375). Kezar and Eckel further discuss how policy- and decision-making processes are multi-level and involve an entity with varying degrees of authority. To this end, decision-making and governance of intercollegiate athletics is a part of policy-making within the athletic department to ensure compliance with NCAA bylaws, fiscal management, personnel management, resource acquisition, and most importantly, academic policy-making to ensure a successful opportunity for student-athletes.
This tournament, apart from entertaining students and other fans, highlights what stuff different colleges are made of. This comes at a critical time when high school seniors are considering what colleges to attend once they graduate. Thus, it is not surprising that this package of sporting events brings glad tidings to the people as it helps usher-in the beautiful spring season. However, a critical evaluation of the different teams and schools reveal the series of events -both good and not so good- that occur as they prepare for this all-important tournament.
While college sports play a valuable role on university campuses, it is important for administrators to not lose perspective. That some football coaches earn more than university presidents, for example, is clearly wrong. Essay Task Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on college support for sports teams. In your essay, be sure to: • analyze and evaluate the perspectives given • state and develop your own perspective on the issue • explain the relationship between your perspective and those given
Van Rheenen, Derek. "Exploitation in College Sports: Race, Revenue, and Educational Reward." International Review for the Sociology of Sport 48.5 (2013): 550-71. Print.
Giles, Alex. “The Proposed Marriage of the BCS and a Playoff Format.” 19 Nov. 2002. 4 sections. 8 Apr. 2003. .
Since the 1972 conception of Title IX of the Education Amendments, the number of women participating in intercollegiate athletics has increased five-fold, from fewer than 30,000, to more 150,000 in 2001. However, more than 400 men’s athletics teams have been dismantled since Title IX, the law forbidding sex discrimination at institutions receiving federal funds, became law. Some would say this is due, in part, to Title IX enforcement standards like proportionality. Proportionality requires that an institution’s athletic population must be of an equal ratio to its general student body. Among some of the 400-plus teams dismantled by Title IX are several former Colorado State University teams including wrestling, baseball, gymnastics, men’s swimming and diving, and men’s tennis. CSU student athletes no longer sport the opportunity of participating in these activities at the NCAA Division I level, and the days of the student body rooting for their ram teams are gone, possibly forever. Now the search is on to find a solution to the problems associated with Title IX if, indeed, a solution is ultimately necessary.
In-state rivalries are known throughout collegiate athletics as games that can make your season if you win or break your season if you lose. This is mainly because the teams want to be known as the state’s “football school,” and winning the game against the other major football school in the state greatly contributes to this title. An example of this would be Oregon vs. Oregon State (ESPN). Oregon had gone 56-46-10, therefore winning 50% of the games played between the two schools (“All-Time Series Record”). There are games that are not so close, though, where it is obvious who is the “football team” in the state. Oklahoma has dominated Oklahoma State by winning 10 out of the last 11 games between the two (“Oklahoma State Football Spring Notes”). Also, the overall winner in this rivalry game gets many of the recrui...
Throughout the country young men and women are losing their priority for an education. To attend a university should be a highly cherished privilege, and it should be an even greater honor to play athletics for the university. Therefore, the writer supports the decision that the “student” comes before “athlete” in student-athlete. Playing for pay should be considered a job for “professionals”. In the rulebook, the NCAA views college athletes as armatures. This statement sums it up best. When athletes go to college, not all of them go in with the mindset that athletics is going to be their future job....
There has been a lot of athletic scandals in colleges in most parts of the world. These scandals have been as a result of the coaches and the directors of athletics in the colleges failing to take the full force of the law and giving their players freedom to do everything even if it is against the law. One of this fatal scandals is the Baylor university basketball scandal that occurred in the year 2003. This scandal involved the players and the coaches of the team. The scandal left one player dead and the other imprisoned for thirty five years. The team was subjected to a lot of punishment by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA is a non-profit organization comprised of 1281 institutions, organizations, individuals and conferences and that organizes the athletic programs of most of the colleges and universities in the United States and Canada (The New York Times, 2003).
Student athletes should not be paid more than any other student at State University, because it implies that the focus of this university is that an extracurricular activity as a means of profit. Intercollegiate athletics is becoming the central focus of colleges and universities, the strife and the substantial sum of money are the most important factors of most university administration’s interest. Student athletes should be just as their title states, students. The normal college student is struggling to make ends meet just for attending college, so why should student athletes be exempt from that? College athletes should indeed have their scholarships cover what their talents not only athletically but also academically depict. Unfortunately, the disapproval resides when students who are making leaps academically are not being offered monetary congratulations in comparison to student athletes. If the hefty amount of revenue that colleges as a conglomerate are making is the main argument for why athletes should be paid, then what is to stop the National Clearinghouse from devising unjust standards? Eventually if these payments are to continue, coaches, organizations, and the NCAA Clearinghouse will begin to feel that “c...
Weistart, John C."College Sports Reform: Where are the Faculty." 4 12-17.Aug. 1987. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40249956. Web. 22 Apr. 2014
With the annual debate revived by fans and sportswriters, the involvement of the federal government, and the financial benefit that bowl games offer schools, the issue of wheatear to replace the Bowl Championship Series with a playoff system continues to be one of the most discussed aspects of college football. Most people agree the Bowl Championship Series should be replaced by a playoffs, however there are a few who believe otherwise. The Bowl Championship Series works, and college football has never been more successful, thrilling, popular, or more enjoyable than ever. The Bowl Championship Series is fairer, safer and more effective than a playoffs.
Sixty years ago college sports were in no comparison as popular as they are today. Universities were not contracted with te...
The impact of college athletic programs on academics has always been a controversial and contentious topic. It seems that athletic programs have some contemplative effects on academics of colleges and universities. Different people have different ideas about how college athletic programs should be carried on. College presidents, administrations, student athletes, parents of students, and athletic trainers are along with these people who point out different facts about the fallouts of athletics on academics. A bunch of people suggest that athletic programs should be dropped from college system, while another group suggests that athletic programs should be taken care with more advertence. An analysis on the effects of college athletics on academics has two personal approaches: college athletics undermine academics, and athletics amplify academic experience.
Abstract: Collegiate athletes participating in the two revenue sports (football, men's basketball) sacrifice their time, education, and risk physical harm for their respected programs. The players are controlled by a governing body (NCAA) that dictates when they can show up to work, and when they cannot show up for work. They are restricted from making any substantial financial gains outside of their sports arena. These athletes receive no compensation for their efforts, while others prosper from their abilities. The athletes participating in the two revenue sports of college athletics, football and men's basketball should be compensated for their time, dedication, and work put forth in their respected sports.
For decades there has been a debate on student athletes and their drive to succeed in the classroom. From the very beginning of organized college level athletics, the goal to want to succeed in athletics has forced students to put academics to the back burner. In spite of the goal to want to succeed over a hundred years of attempts to check limits of intercollegiate athletic programs on colleges' academic standards still seems to struggle to this day. This brings to surface one of the most asked questions in sports, “What effect does college sports have on academics and economics?” Herbert D. Simons, Derek Van Rheenen, and Martin V. Covington, authors of “Academic Motivation and the Student Athlete” researched the topic on whether athletics and academics benefit each other. Bryan Flynn, the author of “College Sports vs. Academics” poses the question “Should institutions of higher learning continue to involve themselves in athletic programs that often turn out to be virtual arms races for recruiting talented players who bring big money and prestige, but put academics to the back burner?” Although both authors agree that sports have an impact on an athlete’s academics, the focus of their argument differs.