By: Victoria Lux
What is the number one reason for the difference in DI, DII, and DIII recruiting? The answer to this question is money.
The resources that Division I, II, and III are given are determined and based on how much money is generated by each university’s athletics department and individual programs.
What does the term “resources” entail? Travel and food expenses, sports equipment, facilitates, etc. EADA.
After being introduced to the site, “EADA: Equity in Athletics Data Analysis” website, I found myself looking at the potential schools that I’d be interested in coaching at once I feel it’s time to move on and up.
The cool thing about this website is that it allows you to look at every college and university in DI, DII, and DIII and compare what DI, DII, and DIII athletics allow for certain sports to use for resources, coaches’ salaries, recruiting money, etc.
It lets you see the numbers that a college or university is bringing into athletics for example, and even breaks it down further to specific programs like women’s and men’s basketball. The vast between DI and DIII; is stunningly eye-opening.
Resources are allocated from revenue generated by donors, fundraising, the board, and it evolves around how successful the program is. If there is no money being brought in to the program, how is the coach supposed to recruit?
After analyzing the recruiting expenses of two of the heaviest hitters in Division I sports, the University of Connecticut and Duke University, came to the realization that there’s a huge spending gap between men’s and women’s teams at each university.
The UCONN recruiting expenses, for women’s teams, total $474,777. While Duke’s recruiting expenses fall a bit lower at, $361,999.
Whereas, UCONN’s recruiting expenses for men’s teams, almost doubles that of their women’s teams, at $823,684. And then Duke reaches a whopping $1,110,436.
So why are the numbers so different between women’s and men’s teams?
I feel that there’s been an ongoing fight for equality in college sports and it’s about time that it’s taken seriously.
Having the right number of resources, in athletics, makes everything easier. Believe me I know; I was a player of the game who later turned college coach. Resources matter.
Instagram: @bballthruacoachslenz
Twitter: @CoachVLux
Basketball Through a Coach's Lense 