The relationship between athletic team fiscal expenditures on athletic and academic success for NCAA Division II football and basketball programs

Athletics at National Collegiate Athletic Association schools have played a major role in the educational experience of students, alumni, and surrounding communities since they were first introduced to college campuses. This study examined the relationship between athletic team fiscal expenditures on athletic and academic success for NCAA Division II football and men's and women's basketball programs. There was a void in the literature as it relates to the relationship of athletic spending on specific sports at the Division II level. The quantitative study used correlation and regression analyses. This study found a positive statistically significant relationship between athletic spending and overall win percentage in all three sports. Only women's basketball demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between Academic Success Rates scores and total team expenses. Recommendations for future research include utilizing total athletic department expenses to evaluate the relationship with academic success of all sports at an institution. As sport-specific expenses may not be used to support academic services within the sport, total athletic department expenses may better represent a university's commitment to its student-athletes' academic success.