Enhancing 'Education': Rebalancing the Relationship Between Athletics and the University

• Author: William W. Berry III
• Position: Associate Professor of Law and Frank Montague, Jr. Professor of Legal Studies and Professionalism, University of Mississippi
• Pages: 197-225

Enhancing “Education”: Rebalancing the

Relationship Between Athletics and the University

William W. Berry III*

This symposium Article argues for a rebalancing of the relationship

between athletics and the university. Specifically, it challenges college

presidents to leverage the economic growth of intercollegiate athletics to

enhance the academic side of the university for all students. The university

ought to utilize athletics to improve the institution, not sacrifice its core

mission to serve the athletics department. To be clear, this rebalancing

would be consistent with the core ideals that both the university presidents

and the NCAA have been verbalizing for decades.

In Part I, the Article describes the shift from a symbiotic relationship

to a more parasitic relationship, with athletics exerting dominance over the

university at many institutions. Part II argues for a rebalancing—outlining

a relational shift consistent with the values of the NCAA and the practices

at some institutions. Finally, Part III addresses the practical obstacles to

such a shift and provides a road map for universities to enhance the

student-athlete educational model that the NCAA champions.

Copyright 2017, by WILLIAM W. BERRY III.

* Associate Professor of Law and Frank Montague, Jr. Pro fessor of Legal

Studies and Professionalism, University of Mississippi. The author thanks the

Louisiana Law Review for the invitation to participate in its January 2017

symposium, Blurr ed Lines: Emerging Trends and Issues in Sports and Gaming

Law, at which this paper was presented, and for the Louisiana Law Review’s hard

work in editing the article. T he author would also like to thank Matt Mitten, Jo

Potuto, Marc Edelman, Roger Groves, and other particip ants in the symposium

for helpful comments a nd suggestions. Finally, the author thanks Morgan Eason

and Allison Bruff for their excellent research assistance.

198 LOUISIANA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 78

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction .................................................................................. 199

I. Athletics Dominance of Universities ........................................... 205

A. The Platform of “Education” ................................................. 206

B. Athletics as the Front Porch of the University ....................... 207

C. The Costs of the Explosion of Athletics ................................ 209

II. Enhancing “Education” ................................................................ 213

A. Addressing the Arms Race .................................................... 213

B. Eliminating University Subsidy of Athletics ......................... 216

C. Mandating Athletics Subsidy of Education ........................... 217

D. Reforming the NCAA ............................................................ 218

III. Mapping the Future of the University-Athletics Relationship ..... 219

A. Obstacles to Reform .............................................................. 219

1. Status Quo Inertia ............................................................ 219

2. Unfamiliarity of Presidents with Athletics ...................... 220

3. Popularity and Visibility of Athletics .............................. 221

4. Academic Gaps for Some Athletes ................................. 222

B. A Roadmap for Readjustment................................................ 223

1. Restructure the NCAA: Emphasize Education, not

Amateurism ..................................................................... 223

2. Grow Athletics, but Leverage Economic Gains through

Conferences ..................................................................... 224

3. Reduce Coach Firings and Buyouts ................................ 224

Conclusion .................................................................................... 225