Sarah Puchta
Professor Haddix
English 104.03
24 March 2009
Buckeye Pride- Priceless
In today's declining economy it is important to look at how money is being allocated. Lately, the topic of college spending has been under debate--- especially non-academic programs, such as athletics. With a $101.8 million budget given to the athletic department in 2007, The Ohio State University has the largest athletic budget in the country (Wieberg and Whiteside, par. 5). Because of this large emphasis toward sports, and such a large amount of money going toward them, Ohio State's priorities may seem skewed; however, their athletic program as a whole has generated millions in revenue, promoted academics and the local community, and has provided opportunities for countless athletes. The Ohio State University athletics are an essential part of Ohio's culture and economy, and the budget they are provided is beneficial to the school and the community in the long run.
With such a large amount of funding, there is a lot of debate whether the things the athletic department is buying are necessary. Some of the more frivolous spending includes $65,000 of jet time for recruitment, a $75,000 state of the art hockey treadmill, and $19.5 million toward the remodel of the football stadium, which includes a lounge for the players containing flat panel TVs and videogame systems (Weinbach, par. 2). While some of this spending may seem extravagant, Ohio State seems to be a school that can handle these luxuries. Between ticket sales and NCAA payments for playing in tournaments, The Ohio State Athletics programs actually earned $104.7 million in revenue, which resulted in about $2.9 million in profit (Wieberg and Whiteside, par. 13). Because of this, the athletic department is self-sufficient, and even able to pay for their own maintenance fees. With such a large yearly profit, The Ohio State Athletic Department is able to provide their athletes with the best benefits and facilities....