The real question is who is benefiting from all the college sports money being paid by the networks, shoe and equipment manufacturers and other advertisers?
Coaches and athletic administrators on all levels are huge beneficiaries. The athletes in the non-revenue sports are beneficiaries. The average student not so much. I think at a school like Ohio St, the general fund does receive some sports money but at other schools, the average student pays something to support athletics.
Most agree that there are benefits to a city by having a pro sports team in town. The real unknown is whether a similar benefit exists for a school due the exposure it receives from sports? Does it boost enrollment? Does it boost contributions? Does it boost prestige of the schools and thus making a degree from there more valuable? But even then, is it a zero sum game? Does the boosting of one school mean that another drops relatively? If the purpose of universities is to educate people, should they be boosting themselves through their efforts on the field or court rather than what they are doing to improve the education?
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