and athletic success. Many studies have proven that a school's athletic prowess increases their academic reputation.

"A win on the football field gives both fans and administrators a reason to celebrate, according to a new report that found football success increases a college’s alumni donations — especially to athletics programs — along with its academic reputation and the quality and quantity of applicants."

"In a new study, Douglas J. Chung finds that when a college goes from good to great on the football field or basketball court, undergraduate applications increase dramatically.  Chung discusses the so-called "Flutie Effect" in this story, which first appeared on the HBS Working Knowledge website."

"The University of Alabama is the fastest growing flagship in the country. Enrollment hit 37,665 this fall, nearly a 58 percent increase over 2006. (When Nick Saban was hired). As critical as the student body jump: the kind of student the University is attracting. The average GPA of entering freshmen is 3.66, up from 3.4 a decade ago, and the top quarter scored at least a 31 on the ACT, up from 27."

"That’s why Witt (former University President) told 60 Minutes in 2013 that Saban was the best financial investment the university ever made. Saban received a contract extension in May that will pay him at minimum $7.125 million a year and more than $65 million should he stick around through the 2024 season."

"Supporters of big-time intercollegiate athletics on college campuses often claim that there are enormous positive academic spillover effects from success in sports – greater national recognition, greater student applications, more and bigger donations from alumni, et cetera. There are schools like Rutgers and Colorado State universities currently spending fortunes in a bid to move up the athletic totem pole to powerhouse status, arguing this will improve the school’s academic reputation. Is there any truth to that assertion? The answer is a “qualified yes,”"

"Since Boise State’s first Fiesta Bowl (2007) to its last (2015), the university has exploded. Enrollment is up 18 percent, research grants and contracts are up 68 percent, foundation assets have increased 59 percent and the number of donors, not just in athletics, but the entire university has risen from 5,271 people to 12,195, a 131 percent jump."