Division I Leaders Survey Results: College Sports at a Crossroads

Commission Research and White Papers, Resources
DIVISION I LEADERS SURVEY RESULTS PRESENTATION PANELISTS:

Amy Privette Perko, CEO, Knight Commission;
Jason Husser, Director, Elon University Poll;
Beth Brooke, Former Global Vice Chair, EY; Director, New York Times, Project Level, eHealth, ULSE, and The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC);
Peter Roby, Member, Knight Commission

KNIGHT COMMISSION COMMENTS ON SURVEY RESULTS

Amy Privette Perko, CEO, Knight Commission
“It’s a new era in college sports. And the candid views of Division I leaders suggest this new era could be a troubling one that could harm women’s and collegiate Olympic sports. These findings should help inform Congress as it works to build a new model for Division I sports.“

Len Elmore, Co-Chair, Knight Commission
“This survey presents a clear picture of a defining moment for Division I college sports,” said Len Elmore, Knight Commission co-chair. “Navigating the path forward will require difficult decisions about finances, governance and the core identity of college athletics.”

Pam Bernard, Co-Chair, Knight Commission
“The leaders share widespread agreement that the current framework of Division I faces an unprecedented crisis of stability and sustainability.“

Beth Brooke, Member, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee; Member, Knight Commission
“One of the most striking findings in the DI leaders survey is the overwhelming consensus around the importance of collegiate Olympic sports. Nearly all respondents, at 93 percent, believe it is important for universities to continue offering collegiate Olympic sports such as gymnastics, swimming, track & field, and others that are non- (revenue) generating Olympic sports. Ninety-two percent of leaders also agree that these programs are vital to the success of Team USA.“

Peter Roby, Member, Knight Commission, on Division I leaders survey results
“Division I leaders are deeply concerned about finances, with 7 in 10 leaders supporting some type of spending limits. Decades of increasing revenues in college sports has shown that college sports doesn’t have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem.”  

About
 The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, founded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in 1989, is an independent group that leads transformational change to prioritize college athletes’ education, health, safety, and success. knightcommission.org

The Elon University Poll was established in 2000 as a public policy research initiative. The Elon University Poll conducts North Carolina and national surveys on important issues, sharing the results with media, citizens and public officials to facilitate informed public policy making through the better understanding of citizens’ opinions and attitudes. The poll is fully funded by Elon University and is a charter member of the Transparency Initiative, a program created by the American Association for Public Opinion Research. www.elon.edu/elonpoll.

Media Contacts:
Dan Anderson, Special Assistant to the President, Elon University andersd@elon.edu, 336.260.6870
Eric Townsend,Assistant VP for Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Elon University etownsend4@elon.edu, 336.278.7413
Steve Delsohn, Delsohn Strategies (for Knight Commission requests) steve@delsohn.com, 805.358.3318