In 2013 only 16 percent of division I athletic programs turned a profit, but for many the intangible value of athletics is worth the cost

Byrd Stadium at the University of Maryland
 Source: The Washington Post

As detailed in the NCAA revenues and expenses report 20 of the 128 FBS, division I athletic programs generated a profit in 2013. In contrast, not a single FCS athletic program finished in the black by the end of 2013. No division I university without a football program has generated a profit since 2004 from their athletic department.

Unprofitable university athletics are not a side effect from the last recession, however, an insight into unsustainable fiscal policies of such programs. Intense competition off the field is driving prices higher and requires universities to provide higher scholarships to attract the best athletes.

Contrary to popular belief, college sports have not been profitable ventures for years. Although advertising, donations, and over-all hype for sports teams are increasing– the revenues generated are not enough to sustain the high costs.

An increase in athletic investment and failure to generate profits has raised questions about the worthiness to continue investment in such programs. The predicament has left students and campus officials asking if it would be more impactful for a university to fund academic programs over athletics.

Investment in collegiate athletic programs and total revenue is rising, but the associated costs are outpacing any potential gains for most institutions

In 2013 the American Institutes for Research studied hundreds of universities across the country and observed that the amount of spending per athlete in the FBS division has increased 51 percent between 2005 and 2010. In comparison the median price of in-state tuition increased 38 percent during the same time frame.

NCAA Spending
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That same study conducted through the Delta Cost Project analyzed budgets and spending trends in NCAA football bowl subdivision (FBS) universities. These institutions have varsity football programs and give scholarships to participants. Schools in the FBS include the University of Maryland, Duke University, and the University of Alabama to name a few.

Compared to institutions in the football conference subdivision (FCS), FBS universities have the some of the largest football and basketball programs, generating the greatest revenues in the leagues.

The research found that athletic spending is far out-pacing spending on academia. From 2005 to 2010 the average amount of spending per athlete has more than doubled that of spending per student at the same universities. The rate of increase has far out-paced inflation in the same time, meaning that the costs are driven by outside forces.

Brian Chepulis is the Assistant director for facilities, events, and operations here at the UMD athletic department. Brian realizes that other athletic programs across the country are not profitable, and gives some reasons for why the costs his department faces are rising so rapidly.

Data from the NCAA revenue and expense report details the total revenue university athletic departments generate compared to their costs. The report includes national averages as well as individual income statements from collegiate programs across the country.

The University of Maryland is in line with the trend as well. At the end of 2014 the university athletic department announced a budgetary short-fall of 3.5 million dollars. The operating expenses associated with the deficit nearly tripled from the year before.

It is no surprise to students here at UMD that athletics are receiving greater investments. Renovations to Byrd Stadium will cost 50 million dollars alone, and Cole Field House will be getting a 155 million dollar facelift in the coming years as well.

Many universities are looking for ways to balance athletic budgets, as costs rise and revenues falter behind. The debate has now turned to whether or not funding these large programs is worth the small, if any, return.

Not all athletic programs suffer deficits, but for many universities, increased athletic funding is like filling a bottomless pit and students pay the price– literally

Just as only the select few teams can make it to a coveted final four position in the NCAA basketball tournament– only a fraction of university athletic programs can reign supreme on the national stage. It is no coincidence that the 20 profitable athletic programs of 2013 happen to have some of the largest budgets in the nation as well.

The majority of athletic revenues in the FBS division are generated from ticket sales, NCAA and conference distributions, and donor contributions. Roughly 8 percent of these revenues are from institutional support and student fees.

The opposite is true for FCS universities and other division l institutions without football programs. On average, student fees and institutional support account for over 50 percent of these small program's revenues. Without the additional aid these smaller programs would not be able to keep a competitive edge, and be forced to cut programs and lose valuable athletes.

NCAA
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Underperforming athletic programs, even of FBS rank, must resort to increased student aid to cover shortfalls in revenue. In order to lessen the burden on students, athletic management facilities can either push to increase revenue or work to cut costs.

Both options are more easily said than done.

In 2012 the University of Maryland came under fire for large-scale budget cuts in the athletic department. The Terrapins quit funding and support for 7 of the 27 varsity sports teams at that time including track, swimming, and tennis to name a few.

The consequence of such program cuts results in a loss of athletic diversity. The reduction in funding for smaller programs hurts prospective athletes by revoking scholarships and travel stipends. Consequentially, these athletes look to other universities in order to foster their athletic potential.

Brian Chepulis explains how universities are combating the increasing costs athletic programs face. He acknowledges that the options are limited for smaller universities, and details how Maryland athletics plans to turn their balance sheet around.

UMD junior and columnist for the Diamondback, Sauradeep Sinha, believes that the university athletic department should re-examine its game plan. He points to a lack of diversity in programs, increased athletic spending, and misguided management of sports teams as potential failures for UMD athletics.

“It’s time the athletic department re-evaluated its priorities,” Sinha wrote, “Football might be an important part of a university’s revenue system and culture; however, it should not come at the expense of other sports. By failing to bring back these eliminated programs and student-athletes, the university is losing significant value.”

Sinha is not the only student who feels this way. Jenna Williams is a guest columnist for the Diamondback, and she shares the same views on athletic funding from student fees. The junior government and politics major believes it is unfair that university students must pick up the tab on unprofitable athletics.

Jenna writes, “I understand that much of this money is given by donors specifically for athletics, but would it be so hard to ask them to allocate just 10 percent of their donation to mental health services? To safe buildings? To transportation or parking?”

Jenna, like many students, does not find it fair that after paying thousands of dollars in tuition the money collected is not being allotted to better serve the campus as a whole. Students like Jenna and Sinha do not see sports generating enough benefit to spread wealth to other regions on campus.

Regardless of which option schools chose to pursue; in order to better manage resources sacrifices must be made. 

Despite lack-luster profitability athletic coordinators believe the intangible value of university sports outweigh the high costs, and see continued investment as the solution to greater future returns

In response to the budget deficit announced in 2014 at the home of the Terrapins, President Loh and other administrators held a firm belief that the Big Ten revenue from an increase in potential ticket sales will help the department balance its finances.

The hope is that the notoriety and size associated with the Big Ten athletic conference will draw more fans, students, and investors to UMD. There is no telling just how much of this potential gain in attention will transfer wealth to academia or solve the budget crisis after-all. 
Brian Chepulis explains the reason for the strong investment his department is putting towards athletic facilities.

Students are not the only ones questioning the worthiness of athletic funding. Judith Scott-Clayton is an assistant professor at Columbia University and economic writer for the New York Times. In a 2012 article Clayton explored why universities continue to participate in the unprofitable business of sports.

The labor economics professor notes that successful athletic programs are about more than just bragging rights; that “big-time sports are clearly a major source of ‘free advertising’ in the form of press coverage.”

“Successful big-time football and basketball programs help institutions improve both the quantity and quality of student enrollments,” writes Clayton, “for example, the authors [of the study] estimate that winning the national championship in football generates a 10 percent increase in enrollments the following year.”

Shaylah Koontz is the director of programing for the Pride, a student-run fan organization on campus. She agrees that the value sports brings to the university is far greater than just ticket sales. In an interview she insisted that, for her, top-ranked athletic programs were a deciding factor for coming to the University of Maryland. She believes that the success of Maryland's basketball and soccer programs will be enough to attract greater attention to the university.

For many students a strong athletic program means more than just increased profits. It results in a recognition that their university is better than another's, and for some that is enough satisfaction. However, if students want to see their athletic teams to success than their school's athletic departments must get their finances in line.

Men are more likely to harass women online, and research has found that misogynist themes in video games are to blame for male insecurity

Researchers have discovered that the more inferior males find themselves compared to women the more likely they are to abuse women online, and the misogynistic aspects of popular video games may be to blame.

The 2015 study, published in the PLOS journal, focused on the relationship between skill level and the frequency of comments made to an opponent. The team of researchers from the university of New South Wales and Miami University observed the way in which two male players interacted verses the interaction between a single male and female player. 

Source: PLOS Journal

After 163 rounds of the popular video game Halo 3 the researchers found a clear distinction between the interaction of male and female participants.

“Skill did not moderate focal player positivity towards a male-voiced teammate,” said Kasumovic and Kuznekoff. “In addition, when performing poorly, [male] players increased the number of positive and neutral statements, and were generally less negative towards a male-voiced teammate.”

However, males reacted differently when playing against a female opponent. 

Overall, “the female-voiced manipulation experienced a greater frequency of negative comments” said the researchers, but found that the better a male participant preformed, the less negative his comments became to the female opponent (see chart).

The results suggest that while comments to male opponents remained neutral, underperforming males are more hostile towards females, but higher-skilled males are more supportive to their female counterparts.

Both Kasumovic and Kuznekoff acknowledge that the traditional male ego and social hierarchy are to blame for the mistreatment of female gamers. Females who outperform male players threaten men. In a response to the insecurity a male may utilize hostility to claim dominance over his female opponent. On the other hand, if a woman underperforms her male counterpart he will reassure her and act as her guide or even hero.

Reported in an article on the Washington Post, as of 2014 48 percent of America’s gaming population is female.

In fact a study from professor Danielle Citron found that roughly 70 percent of those women played as male characters online to avoid discrimination and harassment.

Video games have historically perpetuated a theme of male dominance and emphasize the “damsel in distress” stereotype of women

Source: Anita Sarkeesian

Since the dawn of video games the culture surrounding them has been male-dominated, and oriented to male values and expectations.

“Video games have long been known as a male-dominated media, including in the terms of market audience, player base, and character representation in game” said Michele Zorilla.

An avid gamer herself, undergraduate researcher Zorilla believes that the problem with male dominance and misogynistic themes in video games is a direct response to male gamer expectations.

Anita Sarkeesian is an online media critic and focuses on feminist concerns in media. In 2013 Sarkeensian released a video campaign titled “Tropes vs Women” in which she examined the impact of female discrimination in video games.

Sarkeensian highlights a typical scenario in many games involving a maiden or hopeless damsel who is captured by an evil villain, and it is up to the male hero to save her. Ultimately, the player will succeed in saving the victim, and the role play reinforces the perception of male dominance. She did note that there are a select few games which host females as the lead character, however, even their missions are trivial to a male’s. 

“Princes Peach’s [of the Super Mario franchise] powers are a simple mockery of PMS emotional swings in women” said Sarkeenisan.

The role play reinforces the importance of male dominance, and is personified in the personality of the individuals who engage in heavy video game activity. The effect is parallel to the “nice guy” phenomena, and can have ramifications in life beyond the monitor.

Although the gaming industry is working to become more gender neutral, women continue to be objectified and neglected in the field

Source: Erik Kain

Tracy Dietz, a researcher at the University of Central Florida, found in 1998 that only 15 percent of video games featured a female lead character. The study makes note that in the select instances in which a female character is the main role of a video game plot, she is portrayed in a stereotypical way– objectified or sexualized to attract a male audience.

“The most common portrayal of women was actually the complete absence of women at all,” said Dietz. Many of the video games lacked any presence of female characters as a protagonist or even a supporting character.

In June of 2015 gamers from around the world flocked to the E3 conference. The electronic entertainment expo hosts gamers, developers, and media samples for all attendees to participate in. 

Technology contributor for Forbes, Erik Kain, challenges Sarkeenisan’s notion that there is little to no female influence in video games today. “That 55 percent of the games at E3 (46 percent plus 9 percent) could be played as a female character,” said Kain.

Sarkeenisan believes that if given the option men will not choose to play as a woman, and only recognizes video games with a sole female role as progressive. Whereas Kain reminds it is important that game developers allow both genders to avoid bias.

Although video games are more progressive today, and developers work to appeal to a greater female audience there is still room for improvement. The sexualization of women in video games is another topic of interest for feminism activists.

It is a long road ahead for gender equality in multimedia, and video games are no exception. The effects of misogynistic themes and gender stereotypes have disseminated into the personalities of heavy video game participants, and may impact the communication and perceptions between genders.

The demand for cyber security is growing as online threats increase

Not only is national student debt increasing, but students who borrow less have the most trouble repaying

The number of students taking out student loans is increasing along with the cost of higher education in the United States. Although I do not have to apply for such financing, a number of my friends and classmates do. My social network should find this article of interest because repaying such loans will ultimately dominate the way they will spend and control their expenses through adulthood.