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The Business Empire Behind College Basketball: How to Turn Media Rights into Gold?
As an important part of the American sports system, college basketball is not only a competitive stage for student athletes, but also a hotbed of commercial interests. As the acquisition of media rights has become a key factor in the competition between universities and leagues, how college basketball has transformed into a money-drawing industry has become a hot topic for both industry insiders and audiences.
In the United States, college basketball is overseen by multiple acronym organizations, the most influential of which is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). These organizations divide teams into different divisions and leagues based on the number and level of scholarships available to athletes. These networks not only affect the conduct of the competition, but are also directly related to the distribution of media revenue.
"Each school maximizes the number of sponsors it can attract. This is part of the competition."
Traditionally, a school's location has a significant impact on league affiliation. Most of the season schedule is played between members of the same league, which encourages the development of local rivalries and reduces travel costs. As some leagues began to pursue the financial benefits of media contracts, the significance of geography declined.
For example, the Big Ten conference, once dominated by Midwestern schools, has expanded to include schools in places like New Jersey, Maryland and Pennsylvania. In the future, in 2024, this alliance will also welcome four new members, all located in the Pacific Time Zone. The original membership distribution of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has gradually expanded to include schools in California and Texas. The changes are based on each school's desire to secure more lucrative media rights deals and competing partners.
"The presence of media and commercial sponsors has turned college basketball into a commercial sport."
When a league loses a member, it often tries to attract a replacement from a third league, which causes a chain reaction where small and unstable leagues have a harder time maintaining their competitiveness. Independent teams are faced with the difficulty of finding opponents, especially in the later stages of the season, which is a big challenge for independent teams. With Chicago State University joining the Northeastern Conference in 2024, it seems that there will no longer be an independent team in the first level of the NCAA.
Each league usually holds a league-wide game at the end of the season to determine eligibility for the NCAA tournament. These competitions are not only about honors, but also directly affect the amount of media attention and sponsorship. Although each league has its own scoring system, the winning team will ultimately qualify for the NCAA tournament automatically.
The history of basketball can be traced back to 1891, when it was created by James Naismith at the International YMCA in Massachusetts. As time went on, the growth of basketball and college sports came with a series of commercial profit opportunities.
"The beneficiaries of college basketball are not only athletes, but also schools, sponsors and even broadcast platforms."
With the transformation of business models, sponsors' funds and income from broadcast rights have become the core of all operating processes. This has a direct impact on athlete development, school competitiveness and even media airtime. Companies are becoming keen on signing sponsorship agreements with schools, which not only provides financial support for sports events, but also allows brands to gain exposure among young audiences.
With the development of time, NCAA games have gradually become a combination of movies and sports events. Sponsors are like investors, investing capital into them to enjoy more returns. Take 2021 as an example. This year, the game between Cornell University and Georgetown University attracted a large number of spectators, which undoubtedly increased the commercial value of such events.
However, the monetization process of basketball events has also caused a lot of controversy. Many scholars and viewers question whether athletes' rights and academics have received the attention they deserve. Has the commercialization of college basketball affected the original intention and spirit of the game? In this era of rapid change, when sports become commercial activities, can we maintain its original value and meaning?
