college sports

House v. NCAA: A Threat to Higher Education’s Academic Mission?

The House v. NCAA settlement could reshape the landscape of higher education by allowing colleges to pay athletes directly, raising questions about the future of academic and athletic balance. At its core, the decision proposes a model of athlete compensation that diverges sharply from traditional views of amateurism in college sports. Rather than emphasizing scholarships […]

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College Football Promises Touchdowns, Fumbles Instead

Things seemed promising when the 2023 Michigan Wolverines won their first national championship since 1997, with head coach Jim Harbaugh leading the team to victory. College football fans praised his leadership, grateful for the long-awaited success. But as soon as Harbaugh became the subject of NCAA scrutiny, it became clear that triumph would soon give […]

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Mandatory Student Fees Fund College Sports: Can You Find the “$”?

The rising cost of college has dissuaded many from pursuing a degree and caused millions more to go deep into debt. One important factor contributing to this trend is the amount many institutions spend on intercollegiate athletics. About twenty large universities, such as Penn State and the University of Alabama, have successful football teams that […]

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The Weight of MSU’s Reputation Sits on Jonathan Smith’s Shoulders

The firing of football coach Mel Tucker from Michigan State University (MSU) following a sexual misconduct scandal that involved allegations from Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault awareness speaker, threw the team into turmoil. Left without a head coach mid-season, the Spartans needed a new coach and someone who could rebuild trust within the team and […]

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Financial Armageddon is Coming for College Sports

In recent years, intercollegiate college athletics has become an expensive activity for many American colleges and universities. Even at 68 Power Five Conference schools whose teams generate significant football and basketball income, very few typically even claim to make a profit, and that is using accounting procedures that, if followed by Fortune 500 companies, would […]

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The ACC Lawsuits Won’t Ruin College Sports

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal on May 17, 2024 and is crossposted here with permission. Not that long ago, college sports were relatively predictable. Like the U.S. passenger airlines, trucking fleets, and freight railroads regulated by government entities before President Jimmy Carter’s deregulation efforts in the late […]

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