Amateur sports don't have owners, but they do have commercial sponsors and governing bodies that control events and athletes(Coakley, 2009). Signing endorsement deals for uniforms and sponsorships for stadiums and arenas help cover some of the cost schools spend on athletics. Colleges and universities spend millions upon millions of dollars on their athletic programs while only 1 out of 5 programs actually generate profit when all is said and done. Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Texas, Tennessee, and Missouri were among the select few schools that made money. A newly released NCAA report shows that just 14 of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision schools made money from campus athletics in the 2009 fiscal year, down from 25 the year before (Associated Press, 2010). This shows that the economy is directly affecting college athletics in our country.
Football and men's basketball generally are the only two sports programs that generate money which explains universities emphasis on these two teams. Division 1 schools dish out millions of dollars to pay for full scholarships, travel expenses, medical team, security, and equipment each year. It is astounding that even after schools spend this money and get such great ticket sales and merchandise that they finish in the hole. Universities emphasis is on controlling the athletes in their sports and controlling the money generated from sponsorships and competitive events. This explains why division 1 athletes are put through such vigorous practices and training to be successful. The quality of skill and competition is high and that is why these athletes are worked so hard to ensure that their schools remain successful. The schools rely on these athletes' success to continue to get sponsorship money and to use the athletic programs to market their school. Division 1 athletics for athletes has turned into a full time professional job where these athletes are still amateur and get payment through their full scholarships.
Division 1 athletics will remain, but schools are now looking into developing better plans to help generate money. In Iowa, the Board of Regents voted unanimously in March to order school presidents at Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa to come up with plans to scrap -- or dramatically decrease -- such sports subsidies. Campus leaders are expected to report back to the Iowa regents next month (Associated Press, 2010). These kind of plans may be popping up in other states to help generate profit within universities athletic programs.
Coakley, J. (2009). Sports in society. New York, New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Associated Press, Initials. (2010, August 23). Ncaa report: economy cuts into sports. ESPN College Football, Retrieved from http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5490686
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