Featured Post from Southern Utah University

Just How Important is Winning to NCAA schools?

Nov 28, 2018

1 min

David Berri

Welcome to conference championship week in college football! On Friday and Saturday, ten different conferences will decide their 2018 championship.


The winners in these games don't just claim a trophy. Winners also likely end up in a better bowl game (i.e. higher payoff to their school). And a few winners earn a right to appear in the immensely lucrative College Football Playoff. In 2018, those who appear in this four-team payoff earned $6 million for their respective universities.


Dollars and trophies, though, are not the only prizes to be won. Academic studies show that winning in college sports allows public universities to attract more appropriations from state legislatures and also attract more applicants from prospective first-year students.


Dr. David Berri, professor of economics at Southern Utah University and author of three books on Sports Economics and numerous academic articles, notes that "there are substantial benefits to winning in college football. It is not a stretch to say millions of dollars are on the line this weekend."


Are you covering this year’s conference championships and bowl season? If so – consider contacting an expert from Southern Utah University.


Dr. Berri has spent the last two decades researching sports and economics, while publishing works on a variety of topics including the evaluation of players and coaches, competitive balance, the drafting of players, labor disputes, the NCAA, and gender issues in sports. He is familiar with the media and available for an interview. Simply visit his profile.

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David Berri

David Berri

Department Chair and Professor of Economics

Specializing in evaluations of players and coaches in sports, gender issues in sports, and competitive balance in sports

Distrubution of Wealth and PowerUnpaid Athletes in the NCAANBA Salary CapsSports EconomicsNCAA

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