Institutions of higher commitment: A case study of de-escalation and American football's decisive role in intercollegiate athletics

Abstract

This case study presents a common challenge among many sport organisations facing the decision to maintain, increase, or decrease commitment to failing projects or courses of action. Using escalation of commitment theory as a framework, this case highlights the organisational processes for reversing former commitment decisions, underscoring seldom pursued de-escalation behaviour. This case uses fictional East University to illustrate the circumstances confronting most National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletic departments in the United States. Amidst inadequate revenue to cover increasing expenses, university decision makers are often responsible for determining the most suitable commitment to intercollegiate athletics, with a specific focus on costly football programs. Given extensive stakeholder involvement and pressure, commitment decisions are further complicated by the complex economic, social, and political challenges of balancing often competing groups and their interests. In response to a university-wide initiative emphasising successful programs and critically scrutinising underperforming programs, East's athletic director Steve Barnes is charged with determining the most appropriate course of action in de-escalating athletics (notably football) commitment. Consequently, the situation presented provides students with an opportunity to critically evaluate the multifaceted nature of de-escalating commitment to an existing course of action. This case is useful for both undergraduate and graduate courses in strategic management, organisational behaviour, athletic administration, and policy and governance.

Keywords:

• De-escalation of commitment
• Organisational commitment
• Management
• Intercollegiate athletics
• Athletic administration
• Sport policy

Notes

1 Tel.: [phone]; fax: [phone].

2 In addition to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Division I offers a No Football Subdivision for universities desiring to maintain Division I competition in all sports but football.

3 While these institutions experienced positive results from de-escalating commitment, it should be noted that the majority were Division I FCS and Division I No Football programs. For instance, regarding Division I universities that offer a football program, no FBS university has ever reclassified to a lower division and the most recent FBS universities to discontinue their football program occurred in the early 1990s. If such a circumstance were to occur at a FBS university, the benefits described above may or may not necessarily be replicated.

4 The link for the USA Today database is as follows: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2012-05-14/ncaa-college-athletics-finances-database/54955804/1

5 The link for the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics database is as follows: http://spendingdatabase.knightcommission.org/%3Futm_source=April+3+Update%26utm_campaign=Knight+Commission+Advisory+for+March+2014+meeting%26utm_medium=email

6 In the USA, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a national law that requires universities to ensure that both genders are equally accommodated and provided equal athletic opportunities in sport. Thus, there cannot be glaring disparities between the resources (e.g., number of scholarships, coaching salaries, facilities) devoted to men's sports versus women's sports.

7 While NCAA Division I is categorised into three subdivisions, the two highest and most commercial subdivisions are the FBS and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Amidst subtle differences, these two subdivisions are predominantly differentiated by the increased amount of media coverage and resources devoted to FBS athletic departments.

8 In 2013, East Tennessee State University announced official reinstatement of a scholarship FCS football program. Currently, the program is planned to begin play in the Fall of 2015 (Myerberg, 2013).

9 California State University-Northridge serves as the one exception in that they discontinued their FBS football program more recently in 2001.

10 Big East Conference universities sponsoring a football program in another conference include Butler University (Pioneer Football League), Georgetown University (Patriot League), and Villanova University (Colonial Athletic Association).

11 It should be noted that members of the Ivy League compete in Division I, but do not offer athletic scholarships. Each institution only awards academic scholarships on the basis of need.

12 According to Fulks (2013), the annual median compensation (salary and benefits) for both head and assistant football coaches of a FBS team was $4,323,000. The annual median compensation (salary and benefits) for both head and assistant football coaches of a FCS team was $796,000. While specific figures could not be located, it is assumed that compensation for PFL coaches likely accounts for less than the median FCS figure.

13 Excluding the University of San Diego (CA) and Drake University (IA), all PFL member institutions are located east of the Indiana-Illinois state border.

14 Within Division I, the NCAA has stipulated that the minimum 14 teams must be distributed as seven men's and seven women's teams or six men's and eight women's teams. Further, athletic departments must offer at least two team sports for each gender.

15 Division I FBS independent schools are university football programs not affiliated with a NCAA conference. The number of FBS independent schools has traditionally varied, as most use this independent status during a probationary period in becoming a FBS member or transitioning between FBS conferences. Only a select few football programs currently use the independent status as a more permanent ‘conference’ home (e.g., Notre Dame, Brigham Young University).