Thus Taylor Branch — civil rights historian, MacArthur Foundation ‘genius grant’ recipient, Friend of Bill Clinton, and no stranger to controversy — titles his new Atlantic cover story:
… “Why,” asked Bryce Jordan, the president emeritus of Penn State, “should a university be an advertising medium for your industry?”
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Vaccaro did not blink. “They shouldn’t, sir,” he replied. “You sold your souls, and you’re going to continue selling them. You can be very moral and righteous in asking me that question, sir,” Vaccaro added with irrepressible good cheer, “but there’s not one of you in this room that’s going to turn down any of our money. You’re going to take it. I can only offer it.” …
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But what Vaccaro said in 2001 was true then, and it’s true now: corporations offer money so they can profit from the glory of college athletes, and the universities grab it. In 2010, despite the faltering economy, a single college athletic league, the football-crazed Southeastern Conference (SEC), became the first to crack the billion-dollar barrier in athletic receipts. The Big Ten pursued closely at $905 million. That money comes from a combination of ticket sales, concession sales, merchandise, licensing fees, and other sources—but the great bulk of it comes from television contracts….
I do not pretend to understand sports. Can those of you who do enlighten me as to whether Taylor’s premises are as significant as he contends?
Late Night Open Thread: ‘The Shame of College Sports’Post + Comments (70)