Discuss A Current Issue Within Collegiate Athletics
Discuss a current issue/problem within collegiate athletics
For this week's group dialogue, please respond to the prompt stated below. Be sure to cite additional Scripture to support your positions. A grading rubric for this assignment can be found in the "Grades and Progress" section of the main menu. Locate the assignment and click on "View Rubric." Initial post of at least 250 words (due Thursday), and reply to two other students (100 –150 words due Sunday). Discuss a current issue/problem within collegiate athletics.
How does that issue/problem affect the financial management aspect of college sports? To submit your post, click on the Community Board link. Then, click on the dialogue link for that week. Click on Add Thread to create a space for your post. Click Submit to make your post available to the rest of the class. To respond to other students’ threads, click on Reply button in the bottom left corner inside of a message.
Paper For Above instruction
The current landscape of collegiate athletics faces several pressing issues that significantly impact the financial management of college sports programs. One of these substantial issues is the increasing commercialization and profitability demands placed upon college athletics, especially within NCAA Division I programs. As schools seek to boost revenue through media rights deals, sponsorships, and lucrative bowl games, the financial dynamics become more complex and driven by market forces (Kretchmar, 2021). This commercialization influences budgeting, resource allocation, and financial planning, often prioritizing revenue-generating sports like football and basketball at the expense of other athletic programs and academic needs (Gerrard, 2020).
The infusion of television and media contracts has become a cornerstone for financial sustainability in college sports but also introduces volatility and dependence on these revenues. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, interruptions to sporting events led to significant revenue shortfalls, highlighting the financial fragility of overly dependent athletic departments on media deals (Siegel, 2020). This dependency affects strategic financial management, often leading athletic departments to prioritize investments in high-profile sports to secure media rights and sponsorships, which can overshadow broader educational missions.
Furthermore, increasing athlete compensation expectations, including name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, are impacting financial planning. Schools now must allocate resources not only for athletic performance but also for compliance, marketing, and legal considerations related to NIL agreements (Smith & Williams, 2022). This shifts traditional financial models, requiring more sophisticated revenue and expenditure management systems to maintain financial stability.
Biblically, stewardship is emphasized as a key principle in managing resources responsibly. 1 Peter 4:10 reminds believers to serve with the gift they have received, as good stewards of God's grace. Similarly, athletic departments are called to manage their financial resources ethically and wisely for the good of the university community and society at large. The challenge lies in balancing commercial success with responsible stewardship, integrity, and the educational mission of collegiate athletics (Brown, 2019).
In conclusion, the financial management of college sports is profoundly affected by commercialization, media revenue dependence, and athlete compensation expectations. Navigating these challenges requires strategic planning rooted in biblical principles of stewardship, integrity, and service, ensuring that the pursuit of financial goals aligns with the broader educational and ethical mission of higher education institutions.
References
Brown, T. (2019). Ethical management in collegiate athletics: A biblical perspective. Journal of Sports Ethics, 8(3), 45-60.
Gerrard, M. (2020). Economics of college sports: Financial challenges and opportunities. Sports Management Review, 23(4), 477-490.
Kretchmar, R. S. (2021). The commercialization of college sports and financial implications. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 14(2), 326-340.
Siegel, R. (2020). COVID-19 and the financial crisis in collegiate athletics. Sports Business Journal, 24(5), 12-15.
Smith, J., & Williams, L. (2022). Navigating NIL: Financial management and compliance in college athletics. Sports Law Journal, 18(1), 78-92.