This revenue rarely makes its way back to the general funds of these universities. Looking at data from 2011-2012, athletic departments at 99 major schools lost an average of $5 million once you take out revenue generated from "student fees" and "university subsidies." If you take out "contributions and donations"—some of which might have gone to the universities had they not been lavished on the athletic departments—this drops to an average loss of $17 million, with just one school (Army) in the black. All this football/basketball revenue is sucked up by coach and AD salaries, by administrative and facility costs, and by the athletic department's non-revenue generating sports; it's not like it's going to microscopes and Bunsen burners.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Coaches' Salaries
Just in case you haven't seen it (it's all over my facebook feed), here's an infographic that could actually make you cheer your college president's (or med/law school dean's) high salary. A bit of flava from the accompanying article:
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At my graduate institution, the school's distinctive logo is owned by the football program, and leased to every other part of the university. Any organization, student or otherwise, that wants to use it has to seek permission from the jocks.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but if students are willing to pay those extra fees for athletics, they would probably be willing to pay them for other things too. College sports is just a long commercial for the university. Outside of the ivy league. the service academies, local colleges and some famous SLACS, what universities would anybody ever hear about? Advertising helps not just attract jocks to the school but it attracts every type of student.
ReplyDelete100% true for my grad institution. They had a major sports program - I mean regularly featured in "Sports Illustrated" major - and the number of students who were attracted to the school just so they could wear the gear and go to the games. My undergrad was exactly the opposite. A shitty team in a shitty conference. Half the students on campus could not reliably find the football stadium if asked.
DeleteA few college coaches earn million-dollar salaries, but more than 99% do not. The women's basketball coach at East Alabama Baptist College probably earns about as much as an adjunct English proffie.
ReplyDeleteMost college coaches are in the same boat as most proffies. They got into it because they loved it. Then they realized they'd have to put up with fucktards and shit. And if they have a few losing seasons (through no fault of their own), then they have to move a thousand miles to some other college they've never heard of. No tenure for coaches.
And when a student-athlete gets arrested Friday night for rape and burglary, the local newspaper doesn't call the student's proffie at home to ask what he's going to do about it.
The whole system is fucked.
Those are really good points SB. Like a lot of proffies, coaches at big time schools don't get time off when their season ends. Then it's on to recruiting.
DeleteThe women's basketball coach at East Alabama Baptist College probably is an adjunct English proffie.