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Tanner Fleming
Dr. Wanda White
ENGL 1102
13 April 2014
The NCAA: What You Dont See
There is a correlation between success throughout collegiate athletic programs and
university enrollment and revenue. The NCAA has opened doors for revenues across the nations
from their ongoing income. It is a major organization which has intentions of developing profit
for not only themselves, but for the respective schools that represent them. Most people see the
NCAA as a gateway for high school athletes to find themselves attending college for with full-
tuition scholarships. However, there are a variety of methods the organization continues to
flourish profitably which generates revenue for educational programs. The primary function of
the NCAA is to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an essential part of the educational system
and to make athletes apart of the student body. Because of this, the NCAA has positive benefits
on the athletes themselves, but the schools they are a part of.
NCAA effect on athletes (Part One):
Thousands of collegiate scholarships are granted to high school students each and every
year. A Division 1A athlete is automatically granted a full-tuition scholarship regardless of their
sport. While the 2A division is allowed to award students partial athletic scholarships while they
still have the opportunity to cover the rest of their tuition through academics. There are more
than seven million high school athletes, but there are college roster spots for just two percent of
them. Getting to the NCAA Division 1 level is even tougher. Just one percent of those seven
million student-athletes receive full ride scholarships.
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I spoke with one of my teammates regarding this subject so it would be easier to get an
insider perspective on what we see as beneficial. When Jarred Barr was asked how he felt the
NCAA has benefitted him as a student-athlete he said, Im going to get a good education
because of the opportunity I have to play football here at Charlotte. And being involved in
athletics has shown me a lot about teamwork, which transitions well with my education when it
comes to working with others. Ive also learned a lot about brotherhood. Ive made my best
friends out here because of football. He then went on to discuss the other opportunities being an
athlete in college has shown him. Well, we are required to participate in community service.
Honestly, I probably wouldnt do that if I were just a student here. I feel like that is one of the
small things that makes you a better person and at the same time we get to give back to those
who support us. Ive also gotten into FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) which has played a
big role in my life lately and it is something I truly appreciate.
Extracurricular activities are found in all levels of education from clubs, sports, debate,
drama, and even a student council. They are a great way to apply what you learn in the classroom
to everyday life to meet certain goals or particular expectations. However, sports in particular
provide a great learning experience for teamwork and companionship as well as developing a
healthier physical lifestyle through exercises of all sorts. Through these activities and during the
involvement in the athletic programs, students are often able to apply what they have learned to
their future career aspirations or discover interests they possible would not see without the
chances (physical therapy, athletic trainer, coach, etc.).
Sports, in a specific manner, require a significant amount of time and effort to be
involved in at the collegiate level. Students spend anywhere from five to forty hours a week
meeting obligations that can include practice, training, meetings, and games or events. Because
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of the strenuous schedule that comes along with being an athlete students have to learn how to
manage time and prioritize accordingly to their academic and social schedule. Fortunately, when
the students leave college and begin the real life this is another aspect that benefits their future.
The experience of playing a sport in college is a privilege many people at first take for
granted. As a student athlete I sometimes wish that I did not participate in football so I could
have more free time to do what I actually want to do. But at the end of the day, former collegiate
athletes will always have their experience to look back on and appreciate it for what it was. The
comradery that an athlete matures with his or her teammates is unlike any other. After spending
countless hours surrounded by each other through each struggle and each success athletes
advance their friendships into more of a family-oriented relationship. There are very few athletes
who go on to play sports at the next level which means few have the opportunity to embark
themselves through the journey of playing a football game on a Saturday or likewise with
another sport.
Thousands of college students participate in illegal drug use and alcohol abuse
throughout their duration of education at their respective school. The NCAA conducts random
drug tests multiple times a year throughout collegiate athletic programs across the nation. They
also require the schools to conduct their own at a minimum of twice a year for all student-
athletes. Although the purpose may not be to reprimand athletes that participate in illegal
activity, it is a necessary objective to promote the success and ongoing benefits that the NCAA
permits. A student-athlete now has to think carefully before participating in these illegal
activities because a failed drug test could also mean a revoked scholarship.
Athletes spend several hours a week involved in their sport whether it is through training
and conditioning, practice, meeting, team activities, or even studying. Being a collegiate athlete
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implicates a schedule that is not always ideal for leisure or social life. Often students may feel
that resorting to drugs and alcohol is what may be best for them and their lifestyle. However, it
may be logical to say that a busier schedule is a more beneficial schedule in this matter if there is
no time to find a little trouble.
Colleges and Universities across the nation and their enrollment more often than not
correlates with their athletic programs success. Until recently, evidence about the "Flutie Effect"
-- coined when applications to Boston College jumped about 30 percent in the two years after
quarterback Doug Flutie's Hail Mary pass beat Miami in 1984 -- had been mostly anecdotal
(Potter). It may be safe to say that students select where they go to college based on the
experience they expect to have during their enrollment period at their school of choice
(Silverthorne). Tailgating on a Saturday morning before a football game at a school where the
atmosphere is filled with the love and passion for a great program draws potential students in and
the children of parents who were a part of that experience. Its become so important on the
college campus that its one of the only ways the student body knows how to come together,
said Allen Sack, president-elect of the Drake Group, a faculty network that lobbies for academic
integrity in college sports. In China and other parts of the world, there are no gigantic stadiums
in the middle of campus. There is a laser focus on education as being the major thing. In the
United States, we play football. (Pappano)
As more students are drawn into schools from athletic success, the schools are able to
benefit through tuition. With these profits, they are then able to renovate and evolve culturally
and technologically with society and continue their progression. Division-1A schools typically
air their athletic events on television (most popular being basketball and football) which also
promotes their programs and exposes their success to the public eye.
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The NCAA is a non-profit organization that is designed to provide and promote athletic
opportunities for students. However, the schools these student-athletes attend have a strong
interest in profitable benefits and outstanding revenues (NCAA).
NCAA Revenue Statistics
Total annual NCAA College revenue $10.6 billion
NCAA revenue generated from ticket sales $5.6 billion
NCAA Revenue annual revenue from rights agreements $433 million
Amount spent by NCAA college athletics programs annually $10.5 billion
Annual NCAA expenses $707.2 million

Accordingly to this chart provided by the NCAA, college revenue is over ten billion dollars.
Although you have to take into consideration scholarships, athletic facilities, maintenance, and
employers (the list goes on) that amount only totals to just over $700 million which leaves a
hefty amount of change as a profit. Obviously profits come from more than just ticket sales; take
into consideration team stores, concessions, and program fundraisers. Sponsors also have
become a major impact in todays society. Every piece of life is being advertised from healthcare
to fast food. Televised events take twice as long as they should because of commercial deals and
endorsement agreements. Banners and promotional offers hang from the rafters and walls of the
multi-million dollar athletic stadiums and facilities which are typically paid for by major
companies in the merchandise industry.
Sponsors choose to exploit themselves through programs with the intention to make their
name or brand more familiar to society. Their products are promoted through athletes and those
around them which include those involved in television networks. The NCAA is a business and
at the end of the day it allows schools and businesses that sponsor programs are able to make
profit.
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Works Cited
Pappano, Laura. How Big-Time-Sports Ate College Life. The New York Times. New York
(Indent) Times, 21 Jan. 2012. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
Knowledge, HBS Working. "The Flutie Effect: How Athletic Success Boosts College
(Indent) Applications." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 29 Apr. 2013. Web. 18 Mar. 2014
"NCAA Public Home Page - NCAA.org." NCAA Public Home Page - NCAA.org. N.p., n.d.
(Indent) Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
"'Flutie Effect' Is Real, Study Shows." Seattlepi.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014