Author: <span>Scott Hirko</span>

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Growing Impact of High Financial Stakes in College Sports Highlighted at Knight Commission Meeting

[ Sessions and audio with researchers about the role of athletics relating to institutional finances, student tuition and fees ]

The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics met in Washington, D.C. to hear research reports from higher education experts and scholars that reaffirmed the need for different policy approaches and stronger board oversight in college sports.

Research findings highlighted the widening divide in college sports between the “haves” and “have-nots,” and its potential impact on institutional finances, student tuition and fees. The divide also reveals itself in votes on NCAA rules that impact athlete well-being, academic standards and “the collegiate model.”

Knight Commission Co-Founder William Friday Laments State of College Athletics

The Washington Post recently reported about their interview with William Friday, co-founder of the Knight Commission and former President of the University System of North Carolina. “William Friday has seen the best and worst of college sports in a lifetime devoted to higher education. But at 92, he never thought he would live to see…

Knight Commission Meeting on Oct. 9 to Present Latest Research on College Sports

Issues of financial sustainability and accountability in intercollegiate athletics will frame reform-focused discussion among higher education leaders Who: The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, chaired by William E. “Brit” Kirwan, chancellor, University System of Maryland, and R. Gerald Turner, president, Southern Methodist University, will be joined by Rick Legon, president, Association of Governing Boards of…

LSU Athletics Directs Portion of Revenue to Academics Endeavors

The Louisiana Business Report published an article about an agreement by the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors that will send at least $36 million of athletics department revenue to academic endeavors over the next five years. The report included comments by Knight Commission Executive Director Amy Perko, who said “the deal appears to be…

The Future of the NCAA and Its Membership

“The Future of the NCAA and its Membership” is a panel discussion to be presented by the Pennsylvania State University sports journalism program at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 at the State Theatre. It is free and open to the public. Malcolm Moran, Knight chairman in sports journalism and society and director of the John Curley…

College Sports Subsidies Remain Integral Part of Game

The Arizona Republic published an article examining the extent to which colleges should decrease their subsidies of athletics programs based upon the increase in revenues from agreements between television networks and major athletic conferences.  This article examined that issue at Arizona State University. The Republic quoted the 2010 report, Restoring the Balance, in which the…

Knight Commission Statement Regarding NCAA Penalties on Penn State Football

The Knight Commission’s policy is to refrain from commenting on issues at a specific institution, which includes the sanctions recently announced for Penn State University’s football program. However, the Knight Commission believes this is an appropriate moment to comment more broadly on the current state of college athletics. Recent action by the NCAA, including today’s…

Maryland Athletics’ Financial Woes Reveal a Broken College Sports Revenue Model

A recent Washington Post article examined the financial situation in the University of Maryland’s athletics program in light of its recent decision to eliminate seven of its 27 varsity athletic teams next year. The article notes that “athletic departments at nine out of 10 public universities that compete in big-time sports spent more money than…