Is Competitive Division I Athletics a Burden or a Sail for Higher Education?
Raw, no-frills take on the athletic scene in higher education:
Higher ed's current chaos might just surpass the tumult of the '60s Vietnam War protests. The attack on free speech, defunding essential research since it includes the phrase "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion," and the rapid loss of educational data and funding has scholars scratching their heads. But hey, let's focus on the college athletics side of things, where things are getting equally freaky.
We're accelerating our imperialistic tendencies, renovating our front porches while outsiders are tearing down the house, or so it seems. Our chase for athletic revenues leaves us looking like oligarchs, amassing funding streams left and right.
Here's a sneak peek into the fascinating world of college sports media coverage:
- Recaps and reviews of TV shows like 'The White Lotus'
- Gmail upgrade alerts
- FBI warnings about Chinese attacks
And here's what's hot in Division I college athletics today:
- Salary caps
- Private Equity
- Billionaires
- Media ecosystems
- The ilk of 'tech bros' and NIL
- Lavish coaching staffs
- Residential areas for athletes
- Elite clubs in arenas and stadiums
- Legal agreements controlling athletes' intellectual property forever
You want luxury? For $50,000 a season or more, why not inhabit a plush suite during games, complete with high-end amenities? Who'd rather be an average Joe in the pouring rain in the stands?
Making a Haute Mess
This week, the Big 12 Conference rolled out a basketball court incorporating fashion brand UNDEFEATED for championships. The 5-strike logo now graces the aprons, signaling a trend towards a younger, more engaged audience.
Speaking of jets, the University of Oregon basketball team now favors private flights to navigate the Big Ten Conference. Not a single player stepped foot in a classroom this semester; they took online classes instead.
Making a Splash
The UCLA's women's basketball team flew 36,000 miles this season alone, with the help of sleep scientists, performance dieticians, and applesauce pouches to stay fresh.
All this begs the question: have we lost track of our message as higher education? At a time when we should be promoting our importance, we seem to be choosing empire-building over education. It's high time we reevaluate the NCAA's divisional model and ask if we're dragging higher education down or lifting it up. The honest discussion needs to happen.
The University of Oregon basketball team, eschewing traditional travel methods, now prefers private jets to navigate conferences like the Big Ten, with not a single player setting foot in a classroom this semester due to online classes.
With the Big 12 Conference incorporating fashion brand UNDEFEATED on basketball courts for championships, there's a clear trend towards appealing to a younger, more engaged audience, raising questions about the prioritization of luxury over education in college athletics.
Despite the average student potentially facing layovers and rain-soaked stadium seats, the NCAA's college athletics scene has shifted towards empire-building, with billionaires, private equity, and tech bros investing in elaborate media ecosystems, residential areas for athletes, and even legal agreements controlling athletes' intellectual property. This raises concerns about the balance between education and extravagance in higher education institutions.
