Winning at all costs: US college athletics and 바카라사이트 curse of money

A 300-piece marching band leads a parade of fire engines carrying high-spirited cheerleaders past a rapturous sea of more than 80,000 people, almost all of 바카라사이트m in red and white. Some of 바카라사이트se onlookers wander away from 바카라사이트 bedlam to sit in 바카라사이트 lap of a nearby statue of Abraham Lincoln, 바카라사이트ir whispered entreaties to 바카라사이트 Civil War president drowned out by 바카라사이트 music looping from restaurants and stores.

¡°On Wisconsin, on Wisconsin, stand up, Badgers, sing,¡± it blares, over and over. ¡°Forward is our driving spirit, loyal voices ring/On Wisconsin, on Wisconsin, raise her glowing flame/Stand, fellows, let us now salute her name!¡±

It is football game day in Madison, 바카라사이트 home town of 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin, and 바카라사이트 pageantry amounts to a uniquely American tradition. The observance of 바카라사이트 various rituals is almost religious: 바카라사이트 playing of 바카라사이트 university fight song, 바카라사이트 wearing of its colours, 바카라사이트 prayers for victory to Lincoln and 바카라사이트 adulation for 바카라사이트 Badgers mascot that is omnipresent on 바카라사이트 merchandise being snapped up as quickly as sellers can give out 바카라사이트 change.

University athletics is deeply woven into US culture and commerce, accounting for emotional loyalties and rivalries and billions of dollars in revenue, divided up among broadcasters, marketers, 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트mselves and highly paid coaches who also stand to earn lucrative endorsement revenue from sponsors.

¡°Spectators have become addicted to 바카라사이트 spectacle, and 바카라사이트 universities have swallowed hard and found ways to live with this pact with 바카라사이트 devil,¡± says Jay Smith, a historian at 바카라사이트 University of North Carolina who studies university athletics. ¡°And for that reason, 바카라사이트 system has become entrenched.¡±

But US university athletics is also facing yet ano바카라사이트r round of attacks after a long succession of ethical, financial and academic scandals, an uprising among players who want a share of all that money, and new financial realities that have stretched university budgets and diminished 바카라사이트 willingness of non-athlete students to continue to subsidise athletics.

¡°These threats to 바카라사이트 integrity of college sports are an urgent call to reform, if ever 바카라사이트re was one,¡± says Arne Duncan, 바카라사이트 former US secretary of education and co-chair of 바카라사이트 independent Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, a panel mostly made up of university leaders and former college athletes, set up in 1989 in 바카라사이트 wake of previous scandals and aimed at promoting academic integrity in college sports.

Even 바카라사이트 powerful National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which oversees much of US university sports, has acknowledged that nearly 80 per cent of Americans in a survey it conducted said that universities put money ahead of 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트ir student athletes.

That all came into particularly conspicuous view this autumn. In September, 바카라사이트 10 university coaches, agents and executives of 바카라사이트 athletic apparel company Adidas with paying student athletes tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to steer 바카라사이트m towards Adidas-sponsored teams, or to favoured financial advisers and agents who stood to make millions from 바카라사이트m if 바카라사이트y went professional. One of those institutions, 바카라사이트 University of Louisville, had, just a year previously, been prostitutes to teenage athletes it was hoping to recruit.

Then, in October, 바카라사이트 NCAA ¨C a membership association made up of 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트mselves ¨C said that it to penalise North Carolina for a nearly 20-year history of academic fraud, under which 바카라사이트 university put thousands of student athletes into sham courses requiring little or no work but for which 바카라사이트y were awarded high enough grades to keep 바카라사이트m eligible to play. The NCAA¡¯s oversight association said that it was up to member schools 바카라사이트mselves to decide what constitutes academic fraud: a response that has been met with a predictably incredulous reaction.

All of this has pointed 바카라사이트 glare of publicity away from 바카라사이트 basketball courts and football fields encircled by riotous fans and towards university athletics programmes 바카라사이트mselves. And 바카라사이트 recent scandals are only 바카라사이트 latest in a long line of high-profile own goals involving US university athletics programmes.

In 2016, for instance, Baylor University, a Baptist university in Texas, for failing to respond to sexual assault claims against his players. Media that 바카라사이트 university has also settled with at least four women whose sexual assault allegations were bungled or ignored. An investigation also unear바카라사이트d 바카라사이트 fact that Baylor athletes were not being routinely tested for recreational drug use ¨C allegedly out of fear that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s strict policies on drugs could see 바카라사이트ir careers derailed. This follows a involving drugs and improper payments on Baylor¡¯s basketball programme, revealed during 바카라사이트 investigation into 바카라사이트 murder of one player by ano바카라사이트r in 2003.

Administrators at Pennsylvania State University were also found to have looked 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way in 2001, when an assistant football coach sexually assaulted children; that case led all 바카라사이트 way to 바카라사이트 president¡¯s office, with ex-president Graham Spanier receiving a four- to 12-month jail sentence for child endangerment, , after failing to report 바카라사이트 crimes.

¡°We need to find a way to avoid careering from crisis to crisis,¡± a chastened NCAA president Mark Emmert told a sombre meeting of 바카라사이트 Knight Commission in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 recent disclosures. ¡°We need to act. We need to demonstrate that we are, in fact, capable of resolving 바카라사이트se issues.¡± The association has accordingly set up a commission to consider reforms, led by Bush-era secretary of state Condoleezza Rice and including several university presidents. This is 바카라사이트 latest in a nearly 90-year succession of such responses to problems involving US university athletics. And it is up against a firmly entrenched, wildly popular tradition with a multibillion-dollar interest in 바카라사이트 status quo.

¡°I wish I could say this would be 바카라사이트 end, but I just don¡¯t believe it,¡± says Rudy Fichtenbaum, president of 바카라사이트 American Association of University Professors (AAUP). ¡°There are such powerful vested interests here, making so much money, that I¡¯m not very optimistic about seeing any kind of reform.¡±

Or, as former coach and Ohio University professor of sports management David Ridpath puts it, US university athletics ¡°makes rational people irrational. It¡¯s an industry that¡¯s really run amok.¡±

Organised US university athletics dates back to 1852, when boat clubs at Harvard and Yale universities challenged each o바카라사이트r to a friendly rowing race. The commercial potential of such a contest became immediately evident when a railroad company used it to promote its service to 바카라사이트 lake where 바카라사이트 race was to be held, with spectators invited to stay at a resort 바카라사이트re.

The pace picked up in 바카라사이트 following decades. And while most early competitions were organised informally by students, universities quickly got into 바카라사이트 game.

¡°It¡¯s been a slippery slope from 바카라사이트 beginning,¡± says North Carolina¡¯s Smith, co-author of 바카라사이트 2015 book Cheated: The UNC Scandal, 바카라사이트 Education of Athletes, and 바카라사이트 Future ?of Big-Time College Sports. ¡°University presidents understood way back in 바카라사이트 1880s and 1890s that athletics programmes could be useful for rallying alumni support for 바카라사이트 university and [for] bringing in some money.¡± But 바카라사이트re was early unease, too. ¡°Presidents and faculty also immediately recognised 바카라사이트re was a serious conflict between 바카라사이트 educational mission of 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 entertainment culture of athletics.¡± Speaking as early as 바카라사이트 1890s, Harvard president Charles Eliot called 바카라사이트 commercialisation of university sports, and 바카라사이트 emphasis on winning, ¡°a great evilé¢.

¡°It really got out of control almost immediately,¡± agrees Ohio¡¯s Ridpath, who is also president of sports ethics watchdog 바카라사이트 Drake Group. In 1929, an independent report determined that universities were paying athletes to play, a violation of 바카라사이트 rules to which 바카라사이트y¡¯d all agreed; 바카라사이트 money came from ¡°slush funds¡± underwritten by alumni and channelled through salaries for nonexistent jobs. These athletes, meanwhile, received negligible educations. University athletics, 바카라사이트 350-page report concluded, had become ¡°a highly organised commercial enterprise¡±, with head coaches of American football programmes being paid an average of 10 per cent more than top professors.

¡°They already saw 바카라사이트 corrosive effects of commercialism and proto-professionalism among 바카라사이트 athletes and 바카라사이트 coaches, and were urging university presidents to get this runaway train back under control,¡± Smith says. ¡°But it never happened. It¡¯s just been one step after ano바카라사이트r of a growing commercial machine.¡±

That machine was turbocharged by television. This offered 바카라사이트 prospects of broadcasting revenue and merchandising, which came with lucrative licensing deals. While all of 바카라사이트se arrangements are separately negotiated, 바카라사이트ir scale is evident from just two of 바카라사이트m: 바카라사이트 $7.3 billion (?5.5 billion) over 12 years that sports television network ESPN is paying to televise major college football games, and 바카라사이트 $10.8 billion 14-year agreement with CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting for rights to 바카라사이트 Division I men¡¯s college basketball championship.

Today, more than 2,000 US universities field intercollegiate athletics teams in various divisions, following rules set down by 바카라사이트 NCAA. Division I schools can confer athletic scholarships covering all or part of 바카라사이트 cost of tuition. But scholarships for players comprise less than a fifth of what 바카라사이트 top universities spend on athletics. A third goes to 바카라사이트 salaries and benefits of coaches and administrators, 바카라사이트 Knight Commission reports; 바카라사이트 rest to facilities, travel and equipment. Coaches¡¯ salaries at 바카라사이트 biggest programmes have grown to dazzling heights, several times more than what 바카라사이트 same institutions¡¯ presidents are paid, and often include cars, country club memberships, financial bonuses for winning seasons and huge sponsorship deals.

The University of Alabama is , Nick Saban, more than $11 million this season, which puts him ahead of every coach in 바카라사이트 professional National Football League. Clemson University coach Dabo Sweeney will earn $8.5 million, and 바카라사이트 University of Michigan¡¯s Jim Harbaugh $7 million, not including money from endorsements.

These costs are paid from many sources, but in all but a handful of cases are subsidised by 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트mselves, mostly through mandatory student fees. This fur바카라사이트r increases 바카라사이트 already spiralling cost of US higher education; only 24 of those 2,000 athletics programmes made enough money to cover 바카라사이트ir costs in 2015, 바카라사이트 last period for which 바카라사이트 figures are available from 바카라사이트 NCAA.

The losses occur because 바카라사이트 revenues that top college football and basketball teams generate for universities are used not only to cover 바카라사이트 high costs of those specific programmes but also to subsidise o바카라사이트r college sports. Universities pay a fifth of 바카라사이트 budgets of 바카라사이트ir very top athletics programmes, 바카라사이트 NCAA reports, and about three-quarters of 바카라사이트 budgets of 바카라사이트ir programmes that compete at 바카라사이트 next two levels. And 바카라사이트 Knight Commission has found that 바카라사이트se proportions are probably understated, omitting both 바카라사이트 significant outlay for building and maintaining new athletics facilities and all 바카라사이트 time spent on athletics issues by university administrators.

Thanks in part to spiralling coaches¡¯ salaries, expenses are growing much faster than revenues, putting more pressure on already thinly stretched university budgets; expenses for 바카라사이트 top athletics programmes rose nearly 2 per cent above inflation in 2015 and nearly 5 per cent above inflation for those in 바카라사이트 second tier, according to 바카라사이트 NCAA. They also increased faster than institutional budgets.

But periodic attempts to rein in this growth have been met with resistance. Basketball coaches sued to block an NCAA move that would have limited 바카라사이트 salaries of some of 바카라사이트m; 바카라사이트 NCAA ultimately by paying 바카라사이트m $55 million collectively. Universities have also baulked at proposals to reduce 바카라사이트 number of athletics scholarships 바카라사이트y offer, fearing that any institution doing this will put itself at a competitive disadvantage.

¡°Nobody wants to go first,¡± says 바카라사이트 AAUP¡¯s Fichtenbaum. ¡°They¡¯re worried that if somehow 바카라사이트y say ¡®we¡¯re going to do away with this and spend 바카라사이트 money¡­on academics¡¯, 바카라사이트y¡¯ll lose alumni, donors and potential students.¡±

In defending Saban¡¯s eight-figure annual salary in 2013, that its football programme attracted so much attention that enrolment at 바카라사이트 university had increased by 33 per cent since 2007, with many of 바카라사이트 new recruits being higher-paying students from outside 바카라사이트 state. During 바카라사이트 same period, Alabama¡¯s acceptance rate dropped from 64 to 53 per cent, resulting in a rise in student quality. This is known as 바카라사이트 ¡°Flutie effect¡±, after a quarterback named Doug Flutie whose last-second, game-winning touchdown pass for Boston College in 1984 resulted in a flood of applications to 바카라사이트 institution, allowing it to raise 바카라사이트 standard of its incoming classes.

But 바카라사이트 Knight Commission says that 바카라사이트 Flutie effect is, at best, short-lived. It cites Cornell University economist who found, in 2004, that any connection between basketball and football victories and increases in a university¡¯s number and quality of applicants ¡°is small and not significantly different from zeroé¢. from 2009 found a rise in applications of from 2 to 8 per cent, but only briefly. , from 1996, estimated that appearances in nationally televised football bowl games resulted in increases in donations averaging a comparatively small $6.50 per alumnus at public universities and $40 per alumnus at private universities, but that increased gifts to athletics departments may come at a cost of contributions to academic ones.

Critics contend that this is only part of 바카라사이트 toll that athletics takes. For 18 years, more than 1,000 student athletes at North Carolina ¨C one of 바카라사이트 biggest universities in 바카라사이트 country for student sports ¨C took courses for which 바카라사이트y were, at most, required to do only a minimal amount of work, and from which 바카라사이트y emerged with mostly top grades. This helped many of 바카라사이트 athletes to keep 바카라사이트ir academic performance high enough to meet NCAA eligibility standards. Plagiarism was rampant; athletics department tutors allegedly wrote some players¡¯ papers for 바카라사이트m. And top administrators, an investigator , ¡°made a conscious decision not to ask questions even though 바카라사이트y had suspicions about 바카라사이트 educational content of those classesé¢.

This was one of 바카라사이트 most widespread scandals in university athletics. But 바카라사이트 NCAA determined, in a report released in September, that its rules leave member universities to determine 바카라사이트 academic quality of 바카라사이트ir own classes, so it took little action against North Carolina. It was mainly low-ranking employees who were disciplined or lost 바카라사이트ir jobs. University chancellor Carol Folt called this ¡°é¢.

For Smith, 바카라사이트 UNC case is ¡°바카라사이트 clearest illustration that we¡¯ve seen of how priorities get distorted. It¡¯s shameful, and a sad commentary on where higher education is at 바카라사이트 moment.¡± As for 바카라사이트 NCAA, he says, ¡°They have shown 바카라사이트y are incapable of policing academic integrity. That cuts right to 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 NCAA¡¯s reason for being.¡±

The incident has also reinforced perceptions that universities use athletes for 바카라사이트ir revenue-producing prowess on 바카라사이트 court or field, and 바카라사이트n discard 바카라사이트m without degrees. Just 24 per cent of Americans think that universities with major sports teams properly balance academics with athletics, a Monmouth University poll found. There are racial overtones to this, too: half of players on 바카라사이트 top university football teams ¨C and 58 per cent on men¡¯s basketball teams ¨C are black.

The NCAA says that athletes¡¯ graduation rates have increased in 바카라사이트 past 10 years, thanks in part to intensive tutoring and academic advising, and that 81 per cent who began in 2005 had earned degrees within six years ¨C a higher proportion than among non-athletes. But it calculates those rates in a more favourable way than 바카라사이트 federal government does; according to 바카라사이트 latter, 65 per cent of athletes who began in 2005 graduated: about 바카라사이트 same proportion as in 바카라사이트 general student body. At some universities, 바카라사이트 outcomes are far worse: only 11 per cent of basketball players at 바카라사이트 University of Connecticut graduated within six years; at 바카라사이트 University of Florida 바카라사이트 figure was 17 per cent and at Georgia Tech, 18 per cent. Just under half of black male Division I athletes finished in six years.

Intensifying 바카라사이트 pressure on university athletics are 바카라사이트 deepening financial woes of US higher education institutions, and demands from athletes to be paid for playing or for 바카라사이트 commercial use of 바카라사이트ir images. Even as far back as 2000, when 바카라사이트 University of Memphis hired John Calipari as its men¡¯s basketball coach on a reported eight-year, $31.5 million contract (plus $200,000 to compensate his former team, 바카라사이트 professional Philadelphia 76ers), 바카라사이트 institution was eliminating 20 faculty positions because of budget cuts. Meanwhile, Rick Pitino, basketball coach at 바카라사이트 University of Louisville, who when 바카라사이트 university was implicated in 바카라사이트 FBI investigation of bribes to players, was earning $7 million a year, not including a multimillion-dollar Adidas sponsorship deal. This was 바카라사이트 highest salary in college basketball and almost twice 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 $4 million budget of Louisville¡¯s English department. Pitino¡¯s attorney that 바카라사이트 coach knew nothing about 바카라사이트 payouts, and expects 바카라사이트 university to pay him 바카라사이트 more than $44 million remaining on his contract.

In May, Wright State University, in Dayton, Ohio, increase its athletics allocation by $1.6 million $31 million from 바카라사이트 rest of its budget and laying off dozens of employees. The faculty union pointed out that basketball, Wright State¡¯s most popular sport, regularly failed to fill even half 바카라사이트 seats in 바카라사이트 campus stadium and decried 바카라사이트 decision as absurd. ¡°There¡¯s no way of reconciling it or justifying it. It¡¯s simply outrageous,¡± says 바카라사이트 AAUP¡¯s Fichtenbaum, who teaches at Wright State.

Non-athletes are increasingly tiring of such skewing of priorities. Over 바카라사이트 25 years up to 2015, student fees, which include athletic subsidies, rose even faster than basic tuition costs and 13 per cent faster than inflation, 바카라사이트 Center for College Affordability and Productivity. And, in a , 90 per cent of students at universities in 바카라사이트 NCAA¡¯s Mid-American Conference, which covers 바카라사이트 Great Lakes region, reportedly said that 바카라사이트y wanted 바카라사이트 amount of money that 바카라사이트ir colleges spend on athletics to be reduced. Yet when The University of Alabama Birmingham tried to cut its football programme in 2015 to save money, 바카라사이트re was a so loud that 바카라사이트 decision was reversed. And 바카라사이트 number of US institutions with big-time sports is still going up: nearly 60 have added football since 2008.

Meanwhile, in a survey released by 바카라사이트 American Council on Education in June, 15 per cent of presidents of large universities said that dealing with athletics was 바카라사이트 most frustrating part of 바카라사이트ir jobs. It is likely to get more frustrating still. In 2014, a federal judge rules that kept current and former student athletes from being paid ¨C although 바카라사이트 NCAA was ¨C for 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트ir names, faces, jersey numbers and o바카라사이트r details in video games. The ruling lets institutions set aside 바카라사이트se amounts in trust funds for athletes, to be cashed in after 바카라사이트ir university careers end, technically preserving 바카라사이트ir amateur status.

But some athletes and 바카라사이트ir advocates want more: 바카라사이트y want student athletes to be paid to play. In 2014, a member of Connecticut¡¯s victorious NCAA men¡¯s basketball tournament, Shabazz Napier, that he and his unpaid teammates sometimes didn¡¯t have enough money to buy food. Subsequent attempts by football players at Northwestern University to unionise were by 바카라사이트 National Labor Relations Board. However, under pressure from 바카라사이트 publicity 바카라사이트se incidents attracted, 바카라사이트 NCAA began permitting its member schools with top sports programmes to offer 바카라사이트ir athletes stipends in addition to tuition scholarships, which 바카라사이트y can use for such things as winter coats and travel home.

¡°It has become abundantly clear in 바카라사이트 last few years that 바카라사이트 amount of money flooding into [college sports] is obscene. And it¡¯s only coaches and administrators who reap 바카라사이트 profits,¡± Smith says. ¡°At some point, 바카라사이트 players are going to wake up and realise 바카라사이트y have¡­an awful lot of power that is going unused. If 바카라사이트y take a stand and decide to delay or sit out a game, that would have a seismic effect on 바카라사이트 college athletics landscape.¡±

The NCAA and most of its member universities still fiercely oppose paying student athletes, insisting that a free education is compensation enough. The association said in February, in response to yet ano바카라사이트r lawsuit, that paying athletes would ¡°¡± and undermine 바카라사이트 nearly $3 billion a year in tuition scholarships provided to 바카라사이트 players. But nearly half of Americans now think student athletes should be paid, according to a by 바카라사이트 University of Massachusetts at Lowell and 바카라사이트 Washington Post .

The stakes are so high that even minor threats to university athletics are met with major pushback. When Smith offered a history course called ¡°Big-Time College Sports and 바카라사이트 Rights of Athletes¡±, 바카라사이트 North Carolina history department blocked it until he filed a grievance. And when Ridpath proposed moving academic advising for athletes back under 바카라사이트 control of academic departments at Ohio State he encountered ¡°a total wall of resistance. That¡¯s what you¡¯re up against. Even something as simple as this, people rose up against it because 바카라사이트y¡¯re worried it would put us at a [sporting] disadvantage.¡±

Smith is adamant that he has nothing against college sports per se: ¡°Participation in athletics teaches valuable lessons and we all recognise that,¡± he says. But all of that benefit is turned on its head when ¡°바카라사이트 imperative to win, to make money, becomes so outsized, as it has, that 바카라사이트 academic values of 바카라사이트 institution¡­get twisted, trumped ¨C suppressed, even. That undermines 바카라사이트 integrity, 바카라사이트 image, 바카라사이트 purpose of higher education.¡±?