Dive Summary:
- A new report by the Delta Cost Project at the American Institutes for Research says that public colleges and universities competing in N.C.A.A. Division I sports spend three to six times as much per athlete as they do per student.
- The report found that athletic costs increased at least twice as fast as academic spending between 2005 and 2010 at institutions with top-tier athletic programs, and American Council on Education Senior Vice President Terry Hartle says that the "financial arms race" of intercollegiate sports will become unsustainable sooner or later.
- A third of athletic spending goes toward salaries and compensation, while a fifth goes toward facilities and equipment, and while Hartle says that many college presidents would like to rein in athletic spending, such a move would cost them their job.
From the article:
Public colleges and universities that compete in N.C.A.A. Division I sports spend three to six times as much on each athlete as they do to educate each of their students, according to a new report by the Delta Cost Project at the American Institutes for Research. “Participation in intercollegiate athletics in the United States comes with a hefty price tag, one that is usually paid in part by students and institutions,” said Donna Desrochers, the author of the report. “Public institutions with Division I athletic programs have continued to invest significant resources in athletics, even as academic budgets were under strain during the recent recession.” ...