Quote:
Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Football stadiums are expensive facilities that get used rarely. There are a lot of other expenses. Schools like to talk about all the scholarships they're giving, etc., but I've heard that the athletic departments end up keeping all the money -- i.e., spending it on themselves.
In large part. In college football is so lucrative, why are most of the top college football programs run by the government? That doesn't seem funny to you?
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I'm not sure about the expense to the schools of the football facilities if they have successful programs. Maybe maintenance expense, but as an example, SMU (no longer a successful program, but pining for past glory) just got a shiny new stadium built with money donated by Gerald Ford (not the ex-president). All they have to do is call it Gerald Ford Stadium and ta dah. Maybe thisis unusual?
I have never heard it posited that Division I football programs with tv revenues are money losers for the schools. In fact, as TM mentioned, I think they are used to subsidize the other sports programs at schools. As to why few private schools use their resources in that manner (I've never thought the disparity between public vs private programs was that big, but I'll consider your premise), I would think that there are a variety of reasons, but start-up and risk factors would be a big part in any decision at this point.
I went to a division 3 college and it took some pride in not being focused on sports programs, all the while winning one division 3 basketball title while I was there and deciding not to pursue being admitted to division 1. Why not? I think because sports was not their niche and the money they would get for being a bad division 1 school was not worth it in the short term to change their entire marketing focus.
As to the premise, there are a lot of private schools in division 1 sports - ND, USC, Duke, Stanford, Georgetown, Syracuse, St. Johns, etc. Are you making a football only distinction or do schools that join in the fray in basketball make the cut too? What makes you think that private schools don't buy in? I think schools need to be of a certain size or (sports) reputation in order to compete on the elite levels, so that makes it more likely that the large, state schools will have competeive programs, but maybe I'm missing something.
