EDUC 335 | Course #36644 | 3 Credits
Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am-11:20am
Whitney Auditorium Room 1315 – School of Education Building
Fall Term 2023
**NOTE: This course is available as an elective to all undergrad students. Check with your advisor with questions
OVERVIEW: This course explores the rapidly-changing and controversial landscape of college sports in light of recent NCAA regulations that allow athletes to be compensated for the use of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness). Students will examine the ways in which these changes impact the lives of college athletes (and the individuals/groups affected by college athletics) and highlight historic and ongoing issues of inequity within this system. Through readings, discussions, and coursework, students will gain a deep understanding of the implications of NIL for college athletics.
This course will take an academic approach to Name, Image & Likeness covering the following topics:
- The history of college athletics, particularly as it relates to compensation, growth, oversight, race/gender inequity, and more.
- The college athletics funding model – from the key sources of revenue for athletic departments from conference distributions, brand licensing, apparel deals, and more.
- Challenges and opportunities with the introduction of NIL given other changes such as the expanded transfer portal, conference realignment, and momentum toward revenue sharing.
- The emergence of new services like Collectives, agents, and investment advisors as well as tax, law, and financial literacy services, and the impact on college athletes.
- The impact and reaction from external stakeholders tied to the school such as fans, boosters, and donors.
- Applicable Federal rights and laws (Title IX, free speech, civil rights, IRS, Supreme Court) and their impact on NIL.
- The varying state laws, NCAA guidelines, and reconciling with other areas of oversight – and how individual school policies are impacted.
- The potential of additional compensation to athletes through revenue sharing of TV/apparel/media rights revenue – and its impact on the final model of college athletics.
- Overall, impact, opportunities, threats, and new challenges placed on student-athletes, including understanding NIL implementation in revenue vs. non-revenue sports.
- Speculation on the future (mid- and long-term) based on the challenges, factors, and stakeholders discussed in the course.
Know a U-M student? Please share if they are looking for the spring term. Contact me [dools @ umich.edu] with any questions!
- EDUC 212: The History of College Athletics
- EDUC 240: Leading By Coaching
