The Drake Group Education Fund: Realizing The Promise Of College Athletics
Webinar #48 – Confronting Division I Sports Subsidization and Financial Sustainability
As we watch the revolution in college sports that is taking place, it’s essential to focus on financial realities and be cognizant of the impact of current and possibly growing future student subsidies. At a substantial majority of Division I schools, university subsidies, student tuition, and student fees (i.e., program losses) represent well over half the total revenues of … Read more
WEBINAR #47: 2025 The Allen Sack National Symposium: Advancing Integrity in College Sport – April 10 at Howard University
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Watch the complete proceedings of The Allen Sack National Symposium “The Pivot Point: College Athletics at a Crossroads.” Hosted by the Howard University Athletics Department, speakers address the evolving landscape of college sports, the possibility of new academic models, athlete mental and physical health, how changing economics will impact diversity in coaching and administration, and the current … Read more
WEBINAR #46 — Investigative College Sport Journalism: Where Art Thou?
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The student reporters who took top prizes in the 2025 Drake Group Education Fund Student Journalism Prize for Investigative Reporting on Intercollegiate Athletics share their reporting and discuss the vital role of enterprise and investigative journalism on college campuses. The winners speak about their stories with an esteemed panel of sports journalists and authors from The Washington Post, The Athletic, The Minnesota … Read more
WEBINAR #45 – Improving Graduation Rates of Division I Basketball and Football Players – Whose Responsibility and What Strategies Work?
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A stellar line-up of experts working with college athletes share research supported strategies for improving the current low graduation rates of Division I basketball and football players. This research demonstrates that there are characteristics among college athletes that institutions continue to fail to acknowledge. Also, the research demonstrates that there are institutional best practices that … Read more
Webinar #44 – Reported Increases in College Athlete Suicide and Other Mental Health Risks
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A distinguished panel of experts examines crucial aspects of college athlete mental health and answers the following critical questions: •At what juncture do the pressures faced by college athletes escalate to the point of contemplating suicide? •Are there specific roles within athletic departments that are uniquely suited to identify and address adverse reactions to physical … Read more
2025 Student Journalism Prize Applications Now Being Accepted
Mark Hyman, Chair of Selection Committee for The Drake Group Education Fund 2025 Student Journalism Prize for Investigative Reporting on Intercollegiate Athletics announced the application deadline and timetable for the announcement of this year’s winners. “There has never been a time when investigative journalism focused on college sports has been more needed. Student journalists have an important … Read more
WEBINAR #43 Political Assaults on DEI Programs: Implications for College Athletics
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In recent years, college athletics programs have developed formalized internal structures designed to address problems related to equity in college sports. Responding to data and issues that the Drake Group addresses in its papers, these athletic departments created DEI offices staffed by professionals with expertise in college sports, academic excellence, and equity and inclusion. However, … Read more
Webinar #42 Athlete Compensation, Organizing, and Employee Status in College Sport. What is the Path Forward for College Athletes?
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Panelists discuss the impact of a free agent transfer portal, college athlete compensation tied to revenue production value with no financial guardrails, and the prospect of collective bargaining, unionization, and “employee” status. What might employee bargaining units look like within the multisport and national construct of college sport? Only 2-3 percent of Division I college … Read more
Webinar #41 How will the Evolving Landscape of College Athletics Affect the USA Olympic Sports Development System?
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The House/Hubbard/Carter v NCAA settlement has raised concerns among many that colleges and universities could soon pay athletes directly, particularly in revenue-generating sports, through NIL and revenue-sharing arrangements with the majority of these payments going to football and basketball players. These payments are poised to nearly double due to Title IX gender equity obligations, and … Read more
Webinar #40 NCAA v. House-Carter-Hubbard Proposed Settlement: The Current Legal Landscape
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An exceptional line-up of attorneys, sport journalists, and academic experts take a deep dive into the impacts of the blockbuster NCAA vs. House-Hubbard-Carter antitrust lawsuits. They examine the current status of the proposed settlement, possible legal challenges, and how the $2.8 billion in past damages and estimated $20 billion in injunctive relief might affect Division … Read more