The spending habits of major college athletic departments have come under scrutiny since the O’Bannon case. But according to a survey of college athletic directors from Division I to Division III, don’t expect the arms race to slow down any time soon.
84 percent of colleges to spend more on sports facilities, per survey
Athletic departments are still planning on pumping money into facilities post-O’Bannon.
The survey from AECOM and Ohio University shows that while “nearly 95 percent of ADs are concerned about the funding of their programs,” 84 percent of them plan on investing “significantly” in facilities improvements in the next five years. One in five of them plan on investing $50 million on facilities in the next five years.
That’s no surprise, since they view locker rooms and facilities are “the most important” factors in persuading recruits to come to their schools, while academic, housing and dining facilities are also important.
Despite spending concerns, college athletic directors are still planning to spend a lot of money on facilities. (Graphic via AECOM)
For fans, the outcome of the survey is mixed. While athletic directors know the importance of improving internet connectivity at games, one-third of them also said that lowering ticket prices is the least effective way to draw in fans, though there is some evidence to discredit this claim.
See More:
