Charles Clotfelter on “Big-Time Sports at American Universitiesâ€
25 August 2011 9:55AM
"If you think about it, it’s a little bit strange—to have institutions that are dedicated to research and teaching and service to also be in the commercial-sports business," said Professor Charles Clotfelter, who teaches economics and law at Duke. "Well, they’ve been this way for almost a century. And in fact, the U.S. is the only country in the world that has universities that do commercial sports."
Clotfelter's new book "Big-Time Sports in American Universities" has been called "remarkable," "fascinating," and "eye-opening." Drawing on new research findings, the book takes a fresh look at the role of commercial sports in American universities. It shows that, rather than being the inconsequential student activity that universities often imply that it is, big-time sports has become a core function of the universities that engage in it
Duke Magazine recently published an interesting article called "The Economics, Ethics, and Excesses of the Games We Love" which is based on an interview panel with Clotfelter and other experts.