<p>Just a question that keeps me curious. Why is it that sports are big in college? Why do schools give scholarships to athletes? And how come some schools give athletes privileges the regular student body can not enjoy? I run into people who don't care for college sports and people who love it more than the professional leagues. It's always interested me to know the reasons behind this. Btw I'm a big baseball fan and can enjoy other important sporting events.</p>
<p>Because when an athlete graduates from college and joins a team from NBA,MLS,NHA or MLB ,the college that this athlete has graduated from receives a lot of money ;]</p>
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<p>Tradition, pride, prestige, revenue, etc.</p>
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<p>Attracting good athletes > produces good teams > produces revenue and prestige > attracts good students and faculty > a good overall school</p>
<p>Sports are only part of making a good all-around school. U Michigan is a good example. They are regarded as a top university. Athletics aid their recognition as a excellent university as a whole. But like I said, sports are ONLY PART of making an all-around good university. Some schools do just fine without it, but it definitely adds entertaiment and excitement. </p>
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<p>Like what for example? Athletes inevitable miss courses, which means they need to catch up, and yes they do have people who coordinate things between their professors. Regular students don’t need this.</p>
<p>Do you know what the payout for a BCS bowl game is?</p>
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<p>And do you know how many school actually get part of that payout?? Not many in the big picture…</p>
<p>It’s like anything else. Why do colleges have marching bands, concert bands, plays, etc? It attracts students, it provides the “college experience” (believe it or not, alcohol is NOT need for a college experience! :)), and it allows for an alumni connection. </p>
<p>There’s good and bad to all of it.</p>
<p>Sports are big because they are fun to watch, and a really unifier for some universities. For example, there are a lot of different niches at some big state schools like UT, but the whole atmosphere of campus changes during a home football game.</p>
<p>Secondly, athletes get scholarships because they have a higher expected value in returning revenue to schools (in both in-college revenues, and alumni donations afterwards), compared to academic scholarships.</p>
<p>The university gets more money from syndication, marketing, championship games, more students applying because of the well known team, than it does paying for the athletes to come here for free. It’s lucrative and people love sports so the money flow isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.</p>
<p>Sports are fun to watch. Most people enjoy them. </p>
<p>Sports have been part of academia for a long time. Just look at archaic and classical Greece.</p>
<p>They indulge the natural human affinity for tribalism.</p>
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<li><p>BCS Bowl payouts are split over the conference.</p></li>
<li><p>Strong teams or team loyalty breeds very strong alumni loyalty, which spawns high alumni giving rates.</p></li>
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<p>$$$!! Money is the only reason.</p>
<p>Our school is spending god knows how much building a field and athletic training center for the new Division I football team that starts next fall. Money could have been spent into the university for newer equipment for the engineering department or w/e but im sure football brings in more money than having a better quality education.</p>
<p>The higher the staff position, the more working for the University becomes a business.</p>
<p>sports build school spirit, which improves the students’ experience and helps encourage them to donate. a good football or basketball program will give a school name-recognition and build it’s “brand” as well, which boosts perceived prestige.</p>
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<p>So why have a fine arts department? No need for theater, or chorus,etc because you know they won’t make any money!</p>
<p>Sports provide a lot for a college campus and for a university.</p>
<p>to attract art students who want to study art.</p>
<p>i agree it does bring up school spirit and all that but the grand scheme of things is about the potential money that can be earned.</p>
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<p>So the fine arts department is there for attract students but the athletics department is all about money? Interesting… especially considering very few athletic departments actually make money…</p>
<p>^Attracting students makes money…</p>
<p>Athletes have tons of privileges that many don’t hear about, like incredible health care, tutoring, all sorts of training facilities, free clothes, etc, etc.</p>