Something has changed on many college campuses across America. As they seek to raise their profiles, universities are investing in once-obscure sports that do not come close to paying for themselves, even in the face of dire budget cuts. It’s still not clear whether it pays off, but winning in all sports is what matters now, and the message is driven home from the highest levels of the university.

“If we are going to compete in something, we want to win at it — whether it is in pediatrics or women’s gymnastics,” said J. Bernard Machen, the University of Florida president. “It is important to our supporters, both financial and among our community. It is part of our culture. We want people to know that Florida is a place for winners.”

Some university officials and even athletic directors worry about whether the emphasis on athletics is worth the significant sums that universities invest in them.

“We talk about football coaches’ salaries, we talk about basketball coaches’ salaries,” Gene Smith, Ohio State’s athletic director, told his colleagues last year at a conference on spending in college athletics. “The salaries in many of our Olympic sports have tripled since 1994.”

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Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Education • Sports • * Economics, Politics • Economy

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