it. Brand recognition is an important part of what any university offers. While there are other ways to improve your brand and the visibility of your university, athletic success is one of the most sure fire ways to do this.

Articles have been written about how when Gonzaga basketball became successful their enrollment, quality of applicants and endowment all soared. Presidents of BSU and TCU have also talked about this.

If you have a degree from a university, it has more value if people have heard of your school and it has large brand visibility.

This is why liberty U decided to invest millions into athletics. 10 years ago most people had never heard of the university.

This is why SMU is willing to forgo TV revenue just to get into the ACC.

The presidents of universities investing heavily in athletics are not idiots. They are not investing millions in athletics because they think people need better entertainment. They know that improving the visibility and brand reach of their universities is critical and sports are one of the best ways to do it.

BYU investing heavily in athletics is not an obscene waste of money. It is a logical decision for a university that wants to boost brand recognition, which helps all who attend and have degrees from the university.

Gonzaga is a great example of this. Their investment in basketball has paid huge dividends for the university outside of athletics. Some examples below.

Take home point. Investing in athletics is not just about providing entertainment. The results of athletic success can be far reaching.