Watch CBS News

Are Big Time College Sports Beneficial?

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Turn on TV any fall Saturday afternoon and college football will dominate. For many Americans, sports represent by far a university's most significant activity. Yet entire books covering higher education in recent years have no mention of sports.

Many are put-off by the knowledge that head coaches at more than a dozen universities earned an average of $2million last year, more than 14 times the average pay for full professors.

The number of televised football games on Saturday afternoons rose from only 2 in 1983 to 29 last year reports Charles Clotfelter in a commentary piece in The Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2007, more than 6 out of every 7 articles in The New York Times on universities were about sports.

Sure sports are commercial, Clotfelter agrees, but despite lack of interest of many in the college community, sports are beneficial. They provide needed funds for universities, fans enjoy pride and teams represent diversity bringing much needed role models together in harmony. Like it or not, building sports complexes are important investments.

Reported By Dr. Marciene Mattleman, KYW Newsradio

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.