A project of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The Knight Commission has a legacy of leading reforms that strengthen the educational mission of college sports.
More than 85% of athletes receive degrees.
At least 50% of a team’s players must be on track to graduate in order for the team to be eligible for postseason championships.
Between 2019 and 2032, more than $1.1 billion will be rewarded to institutions for the academic and graduation success of their teams.
Watch our new four-minute educational video and view our new set of principles to guide the development of new policies allowing college athletes to earn compensation for the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL).
The challenges created by the “highly commercialized environment” for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football and some NCAA Division I sports, particularly men’s basketball, were cited.
Financial database on academic and athletics spending trends and figures for “Where the Money Comes From” and “Where the Money Goes” in college sports.
The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics was formed by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in October 1989 to promote reforms that support and strengthen the educational mission of college sports.
Over the years, the NCAA has adopted a number of the Commission’s recommendations, such as establishing an academic threshold for postseason eligibility, including academic incentives in the NCAA revenue distributions and reducing athletic time demands.