i Jeffrey L. Engbers Health Exercise and Sports Science This ...

the university. . . .[I]f you drive by a house and you see a front porch that is not
well-kept, with shingles falling off, you are likely to draw the conclusion that the
rest of the house must also be in bad shape. Conversely, if you have a well-kept
front porch, the rest of the university will take on the same image. So when it is
done right, athletics give people all across the country the chance to draw very
positive conclusions about the rest of the university. (Shoop, 2001, p. 194)
Shulman and Bowen (2001) claim that sports tie together the campus and the outside
community through visual imagery such as television and photographs used for
marketing. According to Smart and Wolfe (2000), intercollegiate athletics impacts the
overall university in areas such as reputation, climate, culture, increased applications, and
fundraising. Northwestern University is an example of how athletics can positively
impact academics. Applications at Northwestern University for the next year’s incoming
class of freshmen rose by 30% after their football team played in the 1996 Rose Bowl.
The following years’ average SAT scores at the university increased by 20 points
(Ehrenberg, 2000)
The unique blend of academics and athletics found in the United States creates
challenges as a result of conflicting goals and priorities (Shulman & Bowen, 2001).
Those not comfortable with athletics falling under the umbrella of the university do not
believe athletics fits with the educational experience (Brand, 2006). What is the priority
of the university when some coaches are paid substantially more than academic
professors or even presidents (Zimbalist, 2001; Dunderstadt, 2000)? Others claim
intercollegiate athletics, mainly at the NCAA Division I level, set themselves apart from
the educational mission of the university (Ridpath, 2008). Glier and Thamel (2006) claim
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