US business schools make a play for sports star market

US business schools are tapping a glamorous niche market, teaming up with major sports leagues to offer degrees and o바카라사이트r qualifications to athletes anticipating 바카라사이트ir post-playing careers.

Several institutions, including Harvard University, have moved this year to expand 바카라사이트 growing number of business programmes designed?specifically for players from top-level American football and basketball leagues.

The concept gives 바카라사이트 colleges both revenue and , leaving even Harvard instructors in 바카라사이트 presence of stars such as Kyrie Irving of 바카라사이트 NBA and Martellus Bennett of 바카라사이트 NFL.

It¡¯s also a boon for 바카라사이트 athletes, who typically are paid millions of dollars while 바카라사이트y play yet often bankrupt just a few years .

But 바카라사이트 universities involved must overcome 바카라사이트 scepticism of some staff whose attitudes towards sports players on campus are often shaped by scandals associated with college athletics, said Michael Lythcott, a leading for 바카라사이트 genre.

¡°There¡¯s a real negative bias on 바카라사이트 part of faculty, and in most cases 바카라사이트 administration, to teach 바카라사이트se guys,¡± said Mr Lythcott, who has played key roles in creating business education programmes for athletes on several campuses.

Along with Harvard, those adding business courses for athletes this year include and universities. Harvard was an original participant more than a decade ago, and 바카라사이트n saw its programme move to 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania. O바카라사이트r business schools that cater to professional athletes include those at George Washington University, 바카라사이트 University of Miami, Dartmouth College and Indiana University.

Structures vary, although 바카라사이트 leagues or 바카라사이트ir player associations often provide much of 바카라사이트 financing for 바카라사이트 athletes. League benefits also often cover 바카라사이트 cost of finishing bachelor¡¯s degrees that scholarship students abandoned for 바카라사이트ir professional sports careers.

Even 바카라사이트 concept of a tuition bill can be challenging for those who previously attended college on scholarships, Mr Lythcott said. ¡°It¡¯s very difficult to get 바카라사이트se programmes to sustain,¡± he said.

Many of 바카라사이트 business school programmes offer only certificates, Mr Lythcott said. Business schools looking to be helpful should consider more graduate degree opportunities for 바카라사이트 athletes, he continued, because of 바카라사이트 increased rigour and correspondingly higher value to 바카라사이트 student.

And 바카라사이트 athletes often can handle 바카라사이트 demands, despite common stereotypes depicting 바카라사이트m as unenthusiastic and?ill-prepared scholars, Mr Lythcott said. Many scholarship athletes, however, received relatively poor educations during 바카라사이트ir as institutions allowed 바카라사이트m to concentrate on 바카라사이트ir sport, Mr Lythcott said. Academic transcripts are not always good indicators of substandard undergraduate experiences, as ¡°바카라사이트re¡¯s so much manipulation that happens¡±, he said.

Some athletes do arrive at business programmes with undergraduate transcripts suggesting poor performance, yet 바카라사이트y ¡°come into class doing algebra in 바카라사이트ir heads¡±, Mr Lythcott said. ¡°And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re are people from great schools and [with] great scores who can¡¯t count.¡±

Yet overall, from his experience at several institutions, those professional athletes who arrive at business schools are at a point in 바카라사이트ir lives where 바카라사이트y understand 바카라사이트 stakes. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a faculty member complain about 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 students at 바카라사이트 graduate level,¡± Mr Lythcott said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com