Signature Honors Project Thesis Paper: Towards an Efficiency Analysis of Division I Womens Basketball

Abstract

As the pressure to win and generate revenue and as the allegations of out-of-control spending continue to increase, there exists many interests in intercollegiate athletics. College sports represent a multibillion-dollar industry. Division I institutions reported spending over $17 billion dollars on athletics in 2022. There are three issues within the Division I sports industry that contribute to these findings and they are non-compliance, pressure to win, and out of control spending. In 2022, generated revenue did not exceed expenses for any FCS institutions. Throughout this research a ‘trilemma’ of graduate, win, and money were utilized. While researchers in the past have investigated specific issues related to athletic success, revenue, generation, and graduation rates, “The Athletic Directors’ Dilemma: ‘$$$ & Women’s Sports’”, no previous studies have attempted to evaluate these factors simultaneously in the context of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I women’s basketball. The value of the proposed methodology to decision makers is discussed and evaluated in my research.