Forbes: Duke Basketball Value Falls--Expenses Rise to Highest in College Basketball

[Zeke]

I've thought for the last several years that athletics were the tail wagging the university dog. This includes Duke but in a lesser way than many (mainly state universities) other schools. I'd propose an idea that will be knocked down hard here, but think on it. The idea is that schools lease their names and facilities. Athletes could play under the Duke banner (or whatever school),not be required to meet an SAT score for entrance, use the facilities, be paid, not have the whole team getting advanced registration in the easy professor in Sociology classes, not be required to live on campus or whatever whatever. Athletes could gain entrance to the university, if they were academically qualified - but not be a necessity to play for Coach K. Coach K. and Coach C. could get better players by not having to academically qualify them. The teams could generate their own revenue, and pay for the contract. Duke and other schools could generate revenue from athletic teams and pay their own way, but not have to prostitute their academic ideals to the $.
Right now ALL universities are bending their academic standards to accommodate to the athletes. Do you really think that Duke athletes (in whatever sports) represent the rest of the student body. They didn't when I was in school there and I doubt they do now. The non-revenue sports are much better but all sport statistics are brought up by those sports. I know you all will disagree but think about it We would have Duke to cheer for , the athletes could or could not be students - without stigma. The status of college athletics in revenue sport as a minor league for the pros would be on the table - not under it as it is now.

[dukeman28428]

Priceless

[blueprofessor]

Priceless

and there is no reason a private university cannot compete for dollar valuation with larger public universities.

It is the brand quality ,not the size of the physical plant, that drives value in a mass market.
Of course, a FF would sell more Duke items!
Best--Blueprof

[ArnieMc]

I have been out of the accounting field for decades, but how can you have an 88% increase in "Operating expenses [that] are composed primarily of coaches' compensation, travel expenses and game day costs"? Travel expenses and game day costs should not have increased much, so it must be C-Well's salary.

Travel expenses could have increased a bundle. IIRC, Duke uses NBA planes to fly to away games, and jet fuel prices went through the roof.

[jdj4duke]

The increase in expenses can be easily explained: How do you think we manage to get all the calls?

[Zeke]

Who paid for the new practice facility; which, if I understand it correctly, is off limits to Duke students. If it was Coach K himself then that's debatable, but if it was DU then that's very bad for DU. The athletic Juggernaut is taking over the campus.

[4decadedukie]

Who paid for the new practice facility; which, if I understand it correctly, is off limits to Duke students. If it was Coach K himself then that's debatable, but if it was DU then that's very bad for DU. The athletic Juggernaut is taking over the campus.

The facility was paid for (in total, or certainly in VERY large part) by donations from alumni and friends of the University and its Basketball Program. This is normal for ALL Duke buildings. My wife and I contributed $5K; I mention this only because we attended the 8 February 2007 official opening, and we noticed a plaque of donors that is located on the stairs to the banquet facility. Based on that list, I am extremely confident that the facility's cost was completely underwritten by gifts for that specific project, not by general University revenues, or tuition, or contributions to the Annual Fund, or scholarship endowments, or the like.