The Drake Group Education Fund: Realizing The Promise Of College Athletics
Webinar #32 – Conference Realignment – What Does It Mean?
Critical Issues Webinars, Position Paper
Another historic phase of college football conference realignment occurred in 2023. The Big 12, Big Ten, and Atlantic Coast Conference all embarked on another round of expansion that destroyed the 108-year-old Pac-12 Conference. Two new super-conferences were created in the South and Midwest. The new national map of college football will exist for the foreseeable … Read more
Webinar #31: Does Baker’s Proposal Invite the Power 4 to Leave the NCAA and What Might Happen If It Does?
Critical Issues Webinars, Featured
NCAA President Charlie Baker took office in March 2023, and inherited several significant lawsuits regarding pay-to-play, name, image, and likeness, and health and safety issues. In response, in late 2023 Baker challenged NCAA member schools with a plan to create a new Division I tier in which schools would be required to pay a minimum … Read more
WEBINAR #30: NIL Education: Are Collegiate Athletics Departments Delivering?
Critical Issues Webinars, Featured, Video
In the third year of college athletes being allowed to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL), many college athletes have taken advantage of their new opportunities entering various types of NIL deals. While NIL has opened the door for these athletes to reap some of the financial benefits of their labor, it has … Read more
WEBINAR #29: Collegiate Athletics Reform Bills Being Considered by Congress
Critical Issues Webinar, Critical Issues Webinars, Featured, Video
A stellar panel of Drake experts review college-athletics-related bills that have been filed or announced as “discussion drafts” in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) as of November 16, 2023 and discuss key questions. Is Congressional intervention in the conduct of intercollegiate athletics justified? Will proposed legislation protect the outside employment rights of college athletes, ensure fair monetization … Read more
WEBINAR #28: What is the Cost of College Athlete Mental Health?
Critical Issues Webinars, Featured, Uncategorized, Video
A stellar panel of experts will explore what it looks like to truly cover the mental health needs of college athletes by moving beyond opinion and digging into the budget line items and numbers. After hiring a clinician or two, what are the other costs associated with college athletes’ mental health care? How are the investments currently … Read more
WEBINAR #27: Coach Abuse of College Athletes — Is There a Solution?
Critical Issues Webinars, Featured, Video
Current and former coach, athletic administrator, and coach pedagogy experts will examine why too many college coaches continue to demonstrate behaviors that negatively impact the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of college athletes and how this issue should be addressed. Are there domestic or foreign programs that should be emulated and is it feasible to … Read more
Clear and Present Dangers — Sports Gambling. NCAA and Higher Education Must Respond Now
On September 5, 2023, Julie Sommer, Executive Director of The Drake Group Education Fund, issued the following statement via a national press release, cautioning higher education and athletics leaders to take immediate action on college athlete gambling and improper relationships between higher education institutions and the gambling industry. Sommer warned, “A tidal wave of match-fixing, … Read more
Conference Realignment Decisions Ignore Impact on Health, Well-being and Education of College Athletes
There is probably no more significant roadblock for college athletes seeking meaningful educations than the unreasonable amounts of time they must engage in practice, travel to competitions, and other athletics-related activities. College presidents and boards of trustees continue to seek more favorable conference memberships pursuing the highest media rights fee payouts, ignoring the impact of … Read more
WEBINAR #26: Sports Betting: What are the Risks for Intercollegiate Athletics?
Critical Issues Webinars, Featured, Video
The finances of college sports are in peril. Desperate for cash, college athletic departments are embracing sports betting. Many colleges have entered partnerships with sports book companies and some schools receive a payout whenever a student opens an account with the sports book. An international panel of experts examines the threefold threat to athletics and … Read more
2023 Sack Symposium Proceedings
Check out the proceedings of the 2023 Sack National symposium including video recordings of each panel session, resource materials recommended by panelists, speaker bios, national award winners and more. CLICK HERE