Is Elite Division I Athletics An Anchor Or A Sail For Higher Ed?

The uncertainty surrounding higher education right now may exceed the chaos that surrounded us during the 1960s Vietnam War era protests and uprisings. From the attacks on free speech, to defunding critical medical and scientific research (because it included the words “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” in selected scientific descriptions) is mind-boggling. As scholars, we are losing access to Federal educational, historical data and funding at a staggering rates.

While much of this is being done to the sector by those on the outside who would like to see higher education “brought down a notch”, those of us on the inside of higher education are worrying about what we are doing to ourselves, not on the academic side, but in college athletics.

One has to wonder if our emerging sense of imperialism in college athletics has taken over at exactly the wrong moment. Are we renovating the front porch at a time when outsiders are attempting to tear down the house?

Are we, in our chase for athletic revenues to “level up” our athletic successes, acting more and more like oligarchs amassing funding streams?

What does the athletic ecosystem talk about?

Take the current state of affairs in college sports media coverage. In between the game scores and highlights, here are some of the topics regularly discussed in sports shows and podcasts:

• General Managers overseeing a “salary cap” system
• Private Equity
• Billionaires
• Media ecosystems
• “Tech bros” and NIL
• $30 million coaching staffs
• Gated communities (i.e. athlete districts)
• Exclusive clubs in arenas and stadiums
• Exclusive legal agreements with athletes to control intellectual property in perpetuity

These are some of the topics in the world of Division I college athletics today. The assumption continues to be that our fans, alumni, donors and partners will continue to upgrade their financial support to match these aspirations. After all, who wouldn’t want to pay to inhabit a luxury suite for a few hours (with high end amenities) for $50,000 or more a season? Why be an average Joe sitting in the pouring rain in the endzone when you can be in a climate-controlled space?

Two new trends-Fashion enters the chat

This week, a fashion ecosystem is being created in front of our eyes. The Big 12 Conference rolled out an entire basketball floor incorporating the fashion brand UNDEFEATED for the Conference championships in men’s and women’s basketball. “The XII Court designs…include aprons featuring the brand’s iconic 5-strike logo.” Known as a sneaker and apparel brand, the partnership marks a shift in the continued evolution towards a younger, more engaged audience by the Big 12. League differentiation via designer fashion…it’s what all the European pro leagues are doing.

Private jets as a competitive strategy

You read that right. How would the University of Oregon men’s basketball team adapt to the new world of playing in the Big Ten Conference? Using private jets and online classes. As the Wall Street Journal wrote this week, “Like many schools in the four major conferences, Oregon has the resources to shuttle its basketball team around the country on a 68-seat charter plane. It’s expensive, but it means that the Ducks don’t have to worry about layovers, lost luggage or cramming 6-foot-7 bodies into coach seats.”

To add to the elitism, not a single member of the Oregon team stepped foot into a classroom this entire semester; they are all taking online classes. All told, “the increase (in cross country travel) was most dramatic for the 10 schools that left the Pac-12, which are traveling between 47% and 222% farther than the 2023-24 season,” the Journal reported.

Not to be outdone, the UCLA’s women’s basketball team flew 36,000 miles this season alone. They employed sleep scientists, performance dieticians and applesauce pouches to stay fresh.

It’s time to reevaluate the NCAA Divisional model

What message are we sending?

At a time when higher education needs to be reinforcing its importance to a wider audience, this seems to be (at best) an awkward double standard to be promoting on our “front porch”. This was unsustainable before the potential for the House v NCAA settlement.

It is long past time for a deeper discussion on the reality of the NCAA’s original Divisional structures. Decades ago, the association was divided into “small college” and “large university” competitive subdivisions; today, we have Divisions I, II and III, with several subdivisions within Division I. Clearly, this structure is falling apart. As many scramble to gain “Division I” affiliation in their recruiting and promotional efforts, there is little addressing the inherent value in Divisions II or III.

At a time when some University financial foundations are under attack by some in the U.S. government via the withdrawal of Federal research funding and support (many of them are currently in Division I), this is exactly the wrong moment to be pursuing our imperialist tendencies by seeking out elite affiliations with wealthier individuals and corporations to enable us to align with our desired athletics peer group.

A New York Times editorial wrote, “What is the most effective response to Mr. Trump’s campaign against universities? For people outside higher education, this is a moment to speak publicly about why universities matter. They promote public health, economic growth and national security. They are the largest employers in some regions. They are an unmatched, if imperfect, engine of upward mobility that can alter the trajectory of entire families.

For people in higher education, this is a moment both to be bolder about trumpeting its strengths and to be more reflective about addressing its weaknesses.”

Right now, elite Division I athletics operates in opposition to the message higher education needs to be saying loud and clear-we are not just gated communities for the rich athletes, coaches and administrators who emulate professional teams and organizations (or the oil barons who want a tax-deductible donation to buy the next quarterback for State U).

Higher education takes pride in its ability to change lives and provide future financial stability for nearly all who come through our doors. We adhere to a higher purpose and mission to provide education for the future. We must continue to advocate and promote our unique standing in America and the world.

Imperialism has come for some Division I college sports. Is it dragging higher education down or lifting it up? It’s time to have that discussion.