Trustees and Presidents: A Podcast for University Leaders On College Athletics

My guest today is Dr. Welch Suggs, Associate Professor in journalism and mass communications at the University of Georgia. Welch and his colleagues had a study published in Spring 2024 with the journal Research in Higher Education that may be interesting for university leaders to consider. Simply speaking, adding a college football team may not be the enrollment panacea once believed.

The conversation revolves around three key points:

1. Adding a football program results in a short-term spike in enrollment, but no long-term increase in overall enrollment, tuition revenue, or male/diversity enrollment.

2. After the initial spike from recruiting football players, enrollment patterns tend to shift back over time, with the new football players essentially replacing other students who would have enrolled anyway.

3. In their final analysis comparing schools that added football to those that didn't found no significant long-term differences in enrollment numbers, tuition revenue, or gender/racial makeup of the student body, unless the schools did something very specific beyond just adding football.

Its an important consideration in the higher education space that is dealing with varying enrollment challenges. I think you’ll enjoy the conversation.

 The Forbes.com referenced in the podcast is available here:

"In A Rising Tide Of College Closures, Impact On Division III Athletics Becomes Clear" https://www.forbes.com/sites/karenweaver/2024/04/30/in-a-rising-tide-of-college-closures-impact-on-division-iii-athletics-becomes-clear/?sh=527ed08170f3

The 2024 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball tournament broke all kinds of viewership records. From Iowa and Caitlin Clark, to Angel Reese and LSU, to Dawn Staley's undefeated and national champion USC Gamecocks, it was a tournament to remember.

I've invited Jill Bodensteiner back to the podcast to take us inside the NCAA team selection process for this marquee event.

Take a peek behind the scenes of NCAA Women's Basketball in the Selection Room. Join committee members during conference tournaments in Indianapolis as they discuss team selection and seating arrangements. Experience the process firsthand as criteria are reviewed, rules are followed, and brackets are formed. From thoughtful deliberations to collaborative decision-making, explore the careful planning that goes into creating the tournament. It's an inside look at the dedication and attention to detail that define NCAA Women's Basketball.

Here's the link to the Synergy app that Jill mentioned in the conversation.

Jim Cavale, founder and Chairman of Athletes.org, joins the podcast. Athletes.org, serves as a players association for college athletes. It is dedicated to maximizing their income, amplifying their voices, and providing on-demand support for key decisions as they navigate college athletics and beyond. AO enables college athletes to have a say in crucial matters affecting their future. 

The American Council of Education provided a statement to Congress advocating against Dartmouth’s men’s basketball team joining a campus union. This statement is what precipitated my conversation with Jim.

We talk directly about the issues higher education is most fearful of: athlete organizing and collective bargaining. In our conversation, Jim stresses the need for dialogue and collaboration with athletes to resolve issues. If college athletics intends to restructure, it must focus on maximizing revenue and ensuring equitable sharing across programs. 

We also discuss what private equity bring to the table-offering an initial financial boost with potentially injecting millions into athletics departments. Jim stresses fair opportunities and regionalizing sports to optimize resources and support all athletes. 

 Here is the link to the ACE document noted in the podcast

https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/Statement-NLRB-House-Hearing-031224.pdf

Today we welcome back Jason Belzer, CEO of Student-Athlete NIL (SANIL), a company that is leading the field in athletes leveraging their NIL opportunities. Jason launched the Student Athlete NIL Summit in Atlanta in 2023 (attracting over 500 athletes) and  his company today supports over 1500 athletes in managing their NIL contracts and transactions.

Jason is at the forefront of navigating the evolution of this still very young industry. This conversation is a great opportunity for presidents to look around the corner and see what’s next.

Joining me for the conversation today is the Big Ten Conference’s Chief Medical Officer, Jim Borchers.

Jim is the former Ohio State team physician and current president of the US Council for Athlete Health. We discuss the growing challenges facing athletic healthcare professionals, including burnout among athletic trainers, pressures from coaches and parents, need for independent medical authority, and advice for college presidents to prioritize athlete health and safety. Today, more than ever, this is an important conversation for campus leaders to hear.

Val Ackerman, Commissioner of the Big East Conference joins the podcast for a wide-ranging discussion on the substantial changes in college athletics, particularly as they impact schools that do not play big-time football. Called basketball-centric schools, they have to navigate the transfer portal, NIL, conference realignment and other tidal waves at a time where their primary revenue source is success in March—March Madness.

Today I’m joined by Jill Bodensteiner, the Vice President and Director of Athletics at Saint Joseph’s University. Jill is a member of several key NCAA DI Committees imagining the future of college athletics. Ironically, it was 20 years ago this month that the St. Joe’s men’s basketball team was at the top of the world. Undefeated and ranked #1 in the nation, the team brought excitement to campus that only a few schools get to experience. Today, the realignment winds have blown through NCAA sports, and St. Joe’s has had to recalibrate around culture and transparency.

Bodensteiner discusses the challenge of managing rosters and team culture in a transfer friendly environment, the battle to keep athletes from being employees and union members, and the overall challenges facing higher education today.

On today’s podcast, we discuss the opportunities and challenges in streaming hundreds of live events from Division II and III campuses. The money is nowhere near the millions pouring in to some Division I programs, so the question becomes what makes it worth the significant effort?

My guests today are Steve Ulrich, a pioneer in media and tech usage when he was the long time commissioner of the Centennial Conference; Katie Boldvich, the commissioner of the Landmark Conference, the first to partner with Flo Sports (who is jumping into the space with both feet), and Ryan Scott from d3hoops.com, who has chronicled the workload increases being made on athletic communications professionals on these campuses.

Thinking about streaming? Take a listen to these experts!

My guests today are two national leaders in the college athlete’s rights space. Congresswoman Lori Trahan from Massachusetts has been an outspoken advocate for college sports reform and for strengthening Title IX compliance. Chase Griffin, UCLA Quarterback and National NIL Athlete of the Year, recently appeared at a Congressional hearing and spoke of the synergies NIL opportunities have with the purpose of higher education. 

 Three important takeaways for presidents came from this conversation:

1.    Open direct lines of communication with student athletes to understand their perspectives and needs. As Chase Griffin emphasized, presidents should not rely solely on athletic directors or coaches to represent athlete views. 

2.    Prioritize Title IX compliance and closing loopholes that disadvantage women's sports. Strengthening Title IX enforcement is an urgent need that presidents have power to address now.

3.    Prepare for coming changes like NIL rights and revenue sharing that will further empower student athletes. Presidents should engage positively with these changes rather than resist them, as the athletes themselves are driving this progress.

On the podcast, we welcome back Dr. Holden Thorp, Editor in Chief of Science, and Professor of Chemistry and Medicine at George Washington University. Holden has closely followed the challenges the Atlantic Coast Conference faces. With Florida State in open revolt and trying to leave the ACC as soon as they can, to the internal political battles that loom over any moves by North Carolina, North Carolina State and Duke, and what the future holds for this venerable athletic conference.

Holden asks the fundamental question that many are beginning to wonder-can college presidents really manage what athletics has become? Should the elite programs separate from the university? As the former chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill, he brings a deep insight into the conversation.