American Opinions Divided on College Sports Changes, Poll Reveals

As NCAA Division I college athletics goes through a historic shake-up, public opinion is all over the map on some big issues. A national survey from the Elon University Poll and the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics shows Americans are split on things like athlete pay, employment status, and who should run college sports.

Still, most people agree on keeping academic standards strong and making sure all college athletes get fair opportunities, no matter what sport they play.

Divided Opinions on Athlete Compensation and Employment Status

Athlete compensation is one of the hottest debates in college sports right now. The survey, which polled 1,500 U.S. adults, found public opinion sharply divided.

Some folks want athletes to get paid for their names, images, and likenesses (NIL), but plenty of others push back. Things got even more complicated after a recent $2.8 billion antitrust settlement, approved by Judge Claudia Wilken, that lets Division I programs share revenue with athletes for the first time.

Support for Athlete Compensation

Over 40% of people surveyed support universities negotiating with athletes about pay, rights, and responsibilities. That’s a big shift, considering athletes used to only get scholarships and nothing more.

Opposition to Employee Classification

Even with more support for athlete pay, most Americans don’t want to call Division I athletes school employees. Interestingly, former college athletes and their families are more likely to back employee status.

For major sports like football and basketball, 36% of Americans said no to making athletes employees, while 30% said yes. The rest? They’re not sure.

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Uncertainty About Governance and Federal Involvement

Governance is another area where opinions are fuzzy. Only about a third—35%—of Americans think the NCAA should be in charge of regulating college sports. Just 6% want the federal government to take over.

Most people seem skeptical or just unsure about Congress stepping in to regulate college sports. There’s not much appetite for more government involvement here.

Public Skepticism

The survey really highlights how uncertain folks feel about who should run Division I athletics. Maybe it’s all the rapid changes—transfer portals, NIL rules, schools jumping conferences. It’s a lot to keep up with.

Overwhelming Support for Academic Standards

On academic standards, though, Americans seem to agree. According to the survey, 81% say it’s extremely or very important for college athletes to be enrolled full-time and to graduate.

About three-quarters support the rule that teams must be on track to graduate at least half their athletes to stay eligible for postseason play.

Educational Mission Matters

Knight Commission CEO Amy Privette Perko put it this way: *Americans show lots of uncertainty about the seismic shifts in Division I sports — but they are certain about two things: educational mission matters and athletic participation opportunities should not be limited to only revenue-producing sports.*

That really drives home how much people want college sports to stay tied to academics, even as everything else changes.

Support for Women’s and Collegiate Olympic Sports

The survey also shows strong backing for women’s and collegiate Olympic sports. Nearly 40% of Americans believe schools *haven’t gone far enough* in giving female athletes equal opportunities. Only 7% think schools *have gone too far*.

Importance of Non-Revenue Sports

About seven in ten Americans say it’s important for universities to offer athletic opportunities in sports that don’t bring in revenue—the so-called collegiate Olympic sports. This support even extends to using federal funds to help pay for programs that help develop Team USA athletes.

Nearly half of adults like this idea, and among college sports fans, about two-thirds are on board.

Mixed Views on Recent Changes in Division I

When it comes to all the recent changes—transfer portal, NIL, conference shuffles—Americans just aren’t sure. Half say the impact is neither positive nor negative, or they don’t really know what to think.

Funding Sources for Athlete Compensation

But when it comes to where the money for athlete compensation should come from, folks have stronger opinions. They favor using private and corporate funding, plus media contracts.

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There’s almost no support for raising student tuition or cutting non-revenue sports to pay athletes. That’s just not popular.

Conclusion

The Elon University Poll and the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics survey offer a fresh look at what people think about college sports right now. Folks seem pretty split on big topics like athlete pay and who should run the show.

Still, most agree that keeping strong academic standards matters. There’s also a shared sense that all athletes deserve fair opportunities, which is honestly a relief to see.

Division I sports are changing fast, and these public opinions could really shape what lawmakers and leaders do next. If you want to dive deeper, check out the full article on Elon University News.

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