Quote: If we were talking about professional sports, or even private corporate sports (e.g., clubs), then I of course totally agree that supply and demand dictate the opportunity, i.e., the supply of athletes has to be proportional to the demand for market-based revenue.
But of course we're not talking about professional sports; we're talking about academic institutions that receive federal and state funding. We're talking about institutions that by mandate are open to all and offer opportunities to all in multiple arenas.
If the purpose of these institutions were solely academic with no emphasis on the generation of revenue from sports, and they are offering opportunities to all, than the scholarships they offer should be based on academic performance not athletic. The fact is that sports revenue has a lot to do with what opportunities are available. A lot of athletes get full rides while students with better academic credentials and performance do not.
I believe most D1 football scholarships come from football generated revenue (including booster club donations), not federal and state funding. So,demand IS determining the opportunity to a great degree.
