An analysis of the relationship between athletic expenditures and national success of Olympic sports teams at NCAA Division I institutions

As the costs associated with sponsoring NCAA Division I athletics increase, it is important that athletic administrators understand the role of money in intercollegiate athletics. The study investigated the relationship between team expenditures and national success in Olympic sports at NCAA Division I institutions. The study examined differences in median operating expenditures for teams at various levels of national success, defined by NCAA Championship tournament finish. It provides an empirical examination of the relationship in seven selected Olympic sports.; For each sport, Division I teams were divided into four groups based on national success. The study compared the median expenditures for teams at each level of success to determine whether differences existed. The most successful teams were found to have reported the greatest median operating expenditures. The findings support the existence of a relationship between athletic expenditures and national success in the seven sports examined. Although limited to one academic year (2003-2004) and seven sports, the study indicates that money may be an important factor in athletic success in NCAA Division I athletics.