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Message: [QUOTE="CL82, post: 5071215, member: 44"] Brand awareness. Are you familiar with that concept? There is value in having people see your name. That's pretty common regarding sporting events. By way of example, why do you think the CDRA is able to sell the naming rights for the former Hartford Civic Center? Do you think it's just disinterested generosity by XL? Similarly, why do companies sponsor bowls do you think that they see value in getting repeated exposures of their name? The history department benefits from marketing in the same way every other department benefits from it. The University of Connecticut his name awareness, largely because of it's athletics. That isn't to say that that's the only thing the university has going for it, but it is an enormous thing. so, if I a history, major thinking about schools, and I read the phrase University of Connecticut, it is a immediately familiar name to me. That has value. Further, if I am a future history major, I might also want to attend a university that has compelling social aspects. One of those might well be the fact that it sponsors major athletics which are tremendously fun,, and a bonding experience which creates additional loyalty to the institution among students. All of that is value that is not being accounted for, and, in all likelihood, exceeds the value of students tuition. If we are going to "impute" one, we should impute the other, just to be logically consistent. Many student athletes are economically disadvantaged and would be entitled to need scholarships, but for the fact that they are attending under an athletic scholarship. Thus, the same student would not be paying full freight for their tuition, yet, the chargeback is free and does not take account, the economic status of the student. That results in an artificially high tuition charge being charged against the athletic department. I nite that you didn't question the notion that the academic side isn't getting a chargeback for lobbying. As we've seen athletic success yields considerable large ass by the state legislature. Does UConn 2000 happen without the 1995 and 1999 championships? Why do you think the school parades athletes in front of the legislature at the annual UConn day? Is it because the athletes so enjoy interacting with state legislators? Or, perhaps, the university sees a benefit in reminding the largest supplier of their income of the enjoyment that they had in watching those athletes perform with the name UConn in emblazoned across their chests? Many people in organizations become fabulously, wealthy, lobbying politicians, yet, the academic side of the university doesn't give a single dollar of credit back to the athletic department. You and I have chatted about this from time to time over the years. I suspect we will always disagree that the academic side is somehow being victimized by athletics and that athletics are a bad investment for the university. If that were in fact the case, then the university wouldn't do it. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach