What’s the ruse? It’s the school’s admission, rostering, and – in many, if not most, cases — exploitation of highly talented, but educationally disadvantaged, athletes to build cash-generating, competitive (quasi-professional) teams for their college sports entertainment businesses. Many of these academically unprepared athletes must pretend to be students while having a full-time athletic job, … Read more
The power of big-time commercial college sports is especially evident at a major events such as basketball’s March Madness, the football-season-ending football games, homecoming games and the like. It is difficult to not be taken up in the collective euphoria associated with such events. The customs, traditions, and emotions create an effective cover for what’s … Read more
No doubt, many, if not most, members of Congress consider taking on the best monopoly in America to be political suicide — no matter the long term harm to America resulting from the high-jacking of its education system by the college sports entertainment business. We in America have a serious sports addiction problem. Apparently, we … Read more
It would appear that athletic departments and school administrators have developed a new art form – achieving and maintaining eligibility for college athletes pretending to be students. Faculty members willing to game the academic system are all that is needed to gain eligibility and even graduation for these athletes, thus allowing their school to reap … Read more
Frank Splitt questions the “quid pro quo” contributions from boosters and the boom in the leasing of stadium skyboxes by corporations and other big-money contributors as well as extortion-like seat taxes, that are fueling the uncontrolled growth of the big-time college-sports entertainment business. He points out that the federal government weakly enforces its Unrelated Business … Read more
Frank Splitt maintains that presidents cannot stand up to lead an effort to change the status quo in any meaningful way without risking termination driven by a storm of protest about economic impact and assorted tradition-based arguments by trustees/regents, boosters, alumni, and rabid fans. Presidents are pressured by their boards and boosters to approve costly … Read more
Frank Splitt questions whether college athletes in big time sports are bona fide students and whether the tax preferences afforded college sports are deserved. »Read the full article
A collection of essays published in national media and authored by Frank Splitt. Articles include: (1) Who Wants to Tackle Biggest Man on Campus?, (2) Sarbanes-Oxley and Disclosure Can Fix Budget Problem, (3) Handwriting on the Wall?, (4) Athletes Who Are Not Real Students, (5) Valuing the Science Course, (6) March Madness will go … Read more
Frank Splitt laments the Notre Dame decision to terminate the employment of head football coach Tyrone Willingham – breaking the university’s long-standing tradition of honoring its contract commitment to their football coach. The termination was accomplished by a small group of trustees and university officials apparently without listening to and taking seriously contrary voices and … Read more
Frank Splitt agrees with claims that America’s obsession with modern sports is eroding American life and undermining traditional American values essential to the well-being of the nation. Splitt addresses questions such as, “Have sports lost their relevance?”, ” Is sport just mindless entertainment?”, “Is our enormous investment in sports as educational tools appropriate for a … Read more