Revenues and subsidies in collegiate sports: an analysis of NCAA Division I women’s basketball

While the policies National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletic departments have in place regarding social media and drug abuse have been empirically investigated, research on the full battery of rules implemented by NCAA teams is scant. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the written team rules of 41 NCAA Division I women’s basketball teams to better understand the types of rules that are in place and to hypothesize the effects these rules might have on the development of an autonomy-supportive environment. Using Consensual Qualitative Research, the research team constructed seven domains with multiple categories to represent the data. The domains included the following: (a) program expectations, (b) controlled communication, (c) controlled relationships, (d) controlled appearance/attire, (e) controlled social behavior, (f) recommendations for optimal physical performance, and (g) academic expectation. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that NCAA Division I women’s basketball coaches use team rules as a tool for domination rather than a strategy for developing the autonomy of student-athletes. We offer practical suggestions for coach educators, coach developers, and coaches on best practices when creating team rules to develop an autonomy-supportive environment that strengthens organizational loyalty and improves the experiences of student-athletes.

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An Analysis of the Factors and Marketing Techniques Affecting Attendance at NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Games

The Journal of SPORT ◽

10.21038/sprt.2015.0424 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 42-59

Author(s):

David Martinson ◽

Ray Schneider ◽

Brian McCullough

Keyword(s):

Ncaa Division I ◽

Division I ◽

Women's Basketball

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Who should we hire?: Examining coaching succession in NCAA Division I women’s basketball

International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching ◽

10.1177/1747954117694732 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 151-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

David A Pierce ◽

James E Johnson ◽

Brian D Krohn ◽

Lawrence W Judge

Keyword(s):

Team Performance ◽

Ncaa Division I ◽

Latent Class ◽

Division I ◽

Market Area ◽

Athletic Departments ◽

Future Performance ◽

Women's Basketball ◽

Online Sources ◽

Newly Hired

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of newly hired coaches in relation to their predecessors, and utilize the analysis to provide guidance to decision makers in college athletic departments. This study examined 185 coaching changes in Division I women’s basketball in 16 conferences between 2000 and 2009. Data were collected from online sources including institutional websites, media guides, and media articles. Latent class analysis was employed to reduce the data to one item per factor. Factors included demographics, coaching ability, coaching experience, past team performance, hiring factors (coaching level change, inside/outside hire, interim, conference affiliation), and institutional factors (public/private, demographic market area, enrollment, budget, and National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics standings). Mixed models analysis was performed to identify which categories have a relationship with changes in the number of wins following a coaching change. Results suggest that past team performance was the strongest indicator of future performance after a coaching change.

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Career Pathways to NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Head Coach Positions: Do Race and Gender Matter?

Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal ◽

10.1123/wspaj.2018-0068 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 94-100 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Leslie K. Larsen ◽

Christopher J. Clayton

Keyword(s):

Ncaa Division I ◽

Women Of Color ◽

White Women ◽

Career Pathways ◽

Division I ◽

Head Coaches ◽

Head Coach ◽

Race And Gender ◽

Women's Basketball ◽

And Gender

In 2017–2018, more than 60% of NCAA Division I women’s basketball (DI WBB) players identified as women of color, while less than 17% of the head coaches of DI WBB teams identified as women of color. Larsen, Fisher, and Moret suggested differences in career pathways between black female head coaches and their white female and white and black male counterparts could be one explanation for the aforementioned discrepancy. However, there is currently limited research on the career pathways of DI WBB head coaches to support Larsen and colleagues’ hypothesis. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the career pathways of DI WBB head coaches to identify race and gender differences. To accomplish this, a content analysis was conducted on the online biographies of head coaches from all 351 DI WBB programs. Significant differences between groups were found in the number of years coaching in DI women’s basketball prior to receiving a first DI head coaching position; both white women (M = 6.97) and women of color (M = 7.94) had significantly more years in DI WBB coaching than white males (M = 4.95; F(3, 348) = 4.63, p = .003). Further, chi-square tests revealed a significant relationship between the race and gender of a coach and the highest level of playing experience and education. These results indicate that race and gender play a significant role in determining what pathway is required to obtain an DI WBB head coaching position. In addition to these research findings, practical implications are discussed.

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Mental Toughness in Collegiate Strength and Conditioning: Widely Used, Widely Misunderstood

International Research in Higher Education ◽

10.5430/irhe.v3n2p35 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 35 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andreas Stamatis ◽

Eric L. Robinson ◽

Grant B. Morgan

Keyword(s):

Ncaa Division I ◽

Student Athletes ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Division I ◽

Mental Toughness ◽

Future Research ◽

Strength And Conditioning ◽

Women's Basketball

Researchers explored the value of mental toughness (MT) for strength and conditioning coaches (SCC) for women’s basketball of a NCAA Division I conference. Eight SCCs completed a questionnaire and six participated in a semi-structured interview. Results showed that, while there is no agreement whether MT can be developed in student-athletes or about its key attributes, all coaches believe MT is of value. Further, none of the participants reported being aware of or using an instrument to measure MT. Conclusions are that MT is a widely-used but relatively unclear construct. Future research should focus on definition, measurement, and implementation issues.

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The Coach’s Journal: Experiences of Black Female Assistant Coaches in NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball

The Qualitative Report ◽

10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3742 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Leslie Larsen ◽

Leslee Fisher ◽

Lauren Moret

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

Ncaa Division I ◽

Role Models ◽

Student Athletes ◽

Black Female ◽

Division I ◽

Black Females ◽

Assistant Coaches ◽

Women's Basketball ◽

Female Coaches

In NCAA Division I women’s basketball, Black female coaches make up only a small percentage of the total number of coaches (i.e., 26%; NCAA, 2016) even though the majority of student-athletes are Black (i.e., 51%). Although these discrepancies have recently been recognized in sport studies literature (Borland & Bruening, 2010; LaVoi & Dutove, 2012), sport psychology researchers have yet to explore the underlying structural and psychological issues that lead to the underrepresentation of Black female coaches in NCAA Division I women’s basketball. To this end, we utilized narrative inquiry (Smith & Sparkes, 2009a) in the current study to explore the stories of eight NCAA Division I women’s basketball assistant coaches who identify as Black females. During face-to-face interviews, participants described the roles they are asked to fill and the ways they cope with the multiple oppressions they experience as Black women in coaching. The first and second authors co-constructed four themes, (a) Pregame: Learning to coach; (b) First half: Experiences from the first 10 years; (c) Second half: Experiences from the last five years; and (d) Overtime: Thinking about the future, throughout their thematic analysis of these narratives (Braun & Clark, 2006). It is hoped that these findings will lead to the development of interventions that can empower NCAA Division I Black female coaches as well as challenge current structural ideologies that disadvantage Black female coaches in this context. Further, creating a more inclusive environment at NCAA Division I institutions could enhance the experiences and coaching career aspirations of Black female student-athletes by allowing them to see empowered Black female role models in coaching positions. Implications for certified mental performance consultants (CMPCs) working within NCAA Division I women’s basketball, who are well positioned to contribute to these efforts, are also discussed.

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A Case-Study Analysis of NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament Broadcasts: Educational or Commercial Activity?

International Journal of Sport Communication ◽

10.1123/ijsc.1.4.516 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 1 (4) ◽

pp. 516-533 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Richard M. Southall ◽

Mark S. Nagel

Keyword(s):

Ncaa Division I ◽

National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽

Division I ◽

Critical Examination ◽

Commercial Activity ◽

Educational Mission ◽

Organizational Conditions ◽

Women's Basketball ◽

The Impact

Over the past few years the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I women’s basketball tournament has drawn larger crowds, generated increased television ratings, and attracted higher levels of advertising spending. Division I women’s basketball is now viewed as the women’s “revenue” sport. In light of the limited analysis of the organizational conditions that frame college-sport broadcast production, this case study examines the impact of influential actors on the representation process of big-time college-basketball telecasts. Using a mixed-method approach, this article investigates production conditions and processes involved in producing women’s basketball tournament broadcasts, examines the extent to which these broadcasts are consistent with the NCAA’s educational mission, and considers the dominant institutional logic that underpins their reproduction. In so doing, this case study provides a critical examination of women’s basketball tournament broadcasts and how such broadcasts constitute, and are constituted by, choices in television production structures and practices.

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Good for Society or Good for Business? Division I Sports Information Directors’ Attitudes Toward the Commercialization of Sports

International Journal of Sport Communication ◽

10.1123/ijsc.4.4.473 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 473-491

Author(s):

Erin Whiteside ◽

Marie Hardin ◽

Erin Ash

Keyword(s):

Mass Media ◽

Ncaa Division I ◽

Division I ◽

Athletic Departments ◽

Collegiate Sports ◽

Business Interests ◽

The Past ◽

Sports Information ◽

Good For ◽

The Mass Media

Through increased visibility in the mass media, collegiate sports have grown at an astounding rate over the past 50 years, leading critics to charge that they are often governed from a standpoint that does not protect academic priorities but instead emphasizes business interests. In light of this trend, the authors used a survey to examine the attitudes of sports information directors (SIDS)—the individuals who are charged with furthering institutional agendas in sport—at the NCAA Division I level. The findings suggest that SIDs generally identify with the belief that sports are inherently good for society but are mixed in their attitudes toward college sport’s biggest revenue generator, football. The results are considered in context with research on SIDs and on media produced by athletic departments.

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