What Are They Playing? An Empirical Examination of the Sports Sponsored by NCAA Colleges and Universities

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Abstract

Intercollegiate athletics is the “front porch” of higher education organizations (HEOs). However, research is limited on HEO athletics decision making, only addressing division and conference switching decisions. To date, the literature hasn’t addressed HEO decisions on which sports to sponsor. This study uses cluster analysis of novel data on sports offerings of 1,100 Division I, II, and III HEOs to understand how these differ across HEOs and the factors that relate to particular combinations being offered at HEOs. Findings suggest that HEOs sponsor different combinations of sports, and these vary based on the Division and size of HEOs. This confirms expectations derived from organizational theory about the importance of position and identity in understanding how HEOs prioritize different sports.

Authors

• Sondra Nicole Barringer, Southern Methodist University

• Sydney Loutit, Southern Methodist University