College Athletics

Abstract

College sports continue to be a big business in America, drawing millions of fans to games and even more viewers to broadcasts. But college athletics programs also continue to be troubled by scandals involving academic fraud and player behavior, along with charges that unpaid players are exploited financially in what has become a multibillion-dollar business. Recent cases in which men’s basketball and football programs have been accused of creating an atmosphere that encourages sexual assault or mistreatment of women have been particularly troubling to critics of those programs. At the same time, increased spending on coaches’ salaries and expensive athletic facilities have led to charges that college athletics are financially out of control. And while women’s participation has grown dramatically, some observers say women’s college sports programs still are not treated equally.