Does UNA Make Money on Its Sports Programs?

We recently linked a letter to the TimesDaily editor. The writer was very critical of the local university's need for a new football stadium. Does he have a point?

First, we would love to see UNA have its own stadium. Now that Braly is owned outright by Florence City Schools, it seems only fair that UNA have its own. Simply wishing for something does not, unfortunately, make it practical. Our main surprise from the facts presented in the letter was the small percentage of Division I schools making money from their athletic programs. Hadn't it been said that UNA should begin paying its athletic way in ten years?

UNA plays in the FCS division of Division I. There are currently 126 such schools playing in the 2019-2020 school year. 130 more play in the FBS division (think University of Alabama or Auburn University). How many of these 256 schools have athletic programs which pay their own way?

Our letter writer referenced 20. Surely that's not right? Or is it? We did our own research and found the number 24 mentioned. Only 20 to 24 out of 256 make money from athletics? Apparently so, and most if not all of these are FBS schools.

Athletic programs can obviously make an institution attractive for prospective students. They can even bring in the rare true scholar who wants to teach at the college level. Every thing in life is a trade off, but is this an equitable trade off?

We see our blog had one illogical critic who claimed we hate UNA. No, we love UNA. That's why we want the college to grow in areas where it's capable of growing. Many former professors at the college taught us how to think for ourselves and not to believe every PR line spouted from those who simply want our dollars. 

Let's be proud of UNA for its first class scholarship...not it's fifth class athletics.

It's Only Money...