From the years of after-school practice and weekend games to higher-stakes collegiate competitions, coaches, educators, and parents recognize the value of athletics.
asserted
coaches → recognize → athletics
But — as with most things — college sports can easily get out of hand without proper limits.
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sports → get → limits
At least 30 states allow student-athletes to profit from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), and the 2025 House v. NCAA decision allows schools to pay their athletes up to $20.5 million, increasing each year.
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schools → allow → million
College athletes operate as professionals who transfer between institutions in order to chase the most lucrative deal.
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who → operate → deal
The incentives in such a system serve the goals of professionalized, big-time sports, especially athletes who want to accelerate their path to fame and fortune.
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who → serve → fame
The problem is that colleges and universities have a very distinct mission.
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colleges → have → mission
Their core goal is educating students.
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goal → educate → students
Study, growth in knowledge, practicing hard and soft skills — these all serve universities’ primary educational purpose.
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these → practice → purpose
Athletics can, too, so long as they support, not frustrate, this mission.
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they → support → mission
The scorecard is in, however, and college athletics too often side with the latter.
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athletics → side → latter
A new report from the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal examines the academic and financial data for the system’s 15 intercollegiate athletics departments, and uncovers some sobering findings:
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report → examine → findings
Students Bear the Cost
For one, athletics place an excessive financial burden on students.
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athletics → bear → students
Student fees that fund student groups and access to recreational facilities seem reasonable.
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that → fund → facilities
Paying a high amount directly to the athletic department is harder to justify.
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Paying → pay → department
Nonetheless, most North Carolina institutions require students to pay upwards of $800 a year for their sports teams.
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institutions → require → teams
Some examples include UNC-Asheville’s athletics fee of $906 and Elizabeth City State University’s $899 fee.
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examples → include → 906
At most North Carolina schools, at least half — and often more — of athletics revenue comes from institutional and government support.
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half → come → support
The highest-revenue-generating schools, UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State, rely least on these funds.
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schools → generate → funds
For example, only about 1% of UNC-Chapel Hill’s athletics revenue comes from institutional and government support.
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% → come → support
Other Division I schools, however, don’t fare as well.
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schools → fare → ?
About 50% of North Carolina Central’s and 36% of Western Carolina’s athletic revenue comes from institutional or government sources.
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% → come → sources
The takeaway here shouldn’t be for these schools to become more like Chapel Hill.
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schools → become → Hill
Mimicking its success is both unlikely and undesirable, as competitive high-pressure sports often come at a high academic cost.
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sports → mimic → cost
Instead, institutions should cut superfluous expenses, such as high coach compensation.
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institutions → cut → compensation
Playing football or basketball at schools like UNC or NC State often opens doors to professional stardom.
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Playing → play → stardom
High-stakes competition, however, can clash with colleges’ and universities’ academic mission.
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competition → clash → mission
Student athletes must balance demanding training and travel schedules alongside their studies.
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athletes → balance → studies
Graduation rates indicate that many athletes struggle to strike that balance.
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athletes → indicate → balance
Basketball and football players at UNC-Chapel Hill graduate at much lower rates than the overall student body, at 54%, 76%, and 91.3%, respectively.
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players → graduate → %
NC State is similar, with basketball players graduating at 18%, football at 55%, and the overall student body at 85.5%.
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football → graduate → %
Reports of misbehavior emanating from Chapel Hill’s football program also indicate a lack of respect from some athletes and even personnel for the university.
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Reports → emanate → university
Playing the Long Game
Reforming intercollegiate athletics is possible, but it will not be popular.
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it → play → athletics
It’s also not one-size-fits-all.
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size → ’ → all
Safeguarding academia’s higher mission requires bold action.
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Safeguarding → safeguard → action
The Martin Center recommends a varied approach depending on schools’ division and financial status.
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Center → recommend → division
Some schools, for example, should consider dropping down to Division III.
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schools → consider → Division
DIII is far less costly, which would lower the price tag for both the institutions and students.
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which → lower → institutions
It would also relieve pressure on athletes, allowing them to focus on their education.
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them → relieve → education
Another recommendation is for states to impose NIL caps.
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states → impose → caps
The current ecosystem allows student-athletes to transfer between institutions to chase the best NIL deal.
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athletes → allow → deal
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
