BUS 135 - Amateurism and the NCAA: A For-Profit Enterprise in a Not-For-Profit Environment

Credits: 4

A discussion of the primary regulatory body of college sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and its effectiveness as a governance mechanism. Over the course of the term, we examine the following: 1) history and structure of the NCAA; 2) interactions between Division I men’s basketball and football, specifically, as revenue-generating sports and the non-profit institutions within which they operate; 3) present and past legal challenges that threaten to alter–or have altered–the relationship between the NCAA and member colleges; 4) externalities that manifest as a result of the influence of athletic departments on certain university campuses; and, 5) educational, physical/mental health, and financial prospects for athletes, regardless of their transition to the professional ranks. Cowins.