Nothing but Net Loss: The Economics of College Sports

Guest: Andrew Zimbalist, Professor of Economics, Smith College, Co-Author of “Unwinding Madness: What Went Wrong with College Sports and How to Fix It” In 39 states, the highest paid public employee is either a men’s football or basketball coach. And it’s not even close: the highest paid football coaches earn over $7 million a year. But the vast majority of colleges lose money on athletics — and even football, often thought of as the money maker, is far more often a money drain than a cash cow. Who’s paying for it all – and is worth it?