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Message: [QUOTE="Scrutineer, post: 2958074, member: 8240"] "Billion Dollar Ball" by Gilbert Gaul. Very well documented book about the growth in sports revenue (and expenses) over the last 35 years. Texas, for example, had a total athletic department budget of about $4M in the early 80's but by the 2015 or so it was over $170M. He has data on all the really big programs regarding revenues and their growth in the last 30 years as well as how they spend it and how they've maximized "seat licenses", "seat transfer fees", and other means of extracting major money from donors and fans. As a counterpoint he provides some details on how small colleges like Haverford sponsor more sports and have much higher percentages of students playing intercollegiate athletics for the experience of it while the big boys primarily spend big money to buy the facilities, coaches and players they need to win championships that will enhance the brand (and the bank accounts of the coaches, AD's, etc.). [/QUOTE]