After the ball is over

You may have noticed the article in the LA Times about the decision of the president of the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) - amid much controversy - to end its football program. Buried in the article is this reference to the litigation and related changes we have noted in prior postings that generally move to recognize such college sports as essentially commercial operations hooked to a university:

...According to a yearlong strategic planning report commissioned by UAB, the university not only subsidizes two-thirds of the $30-million annual athletic department operating budget, but also faces rising costs as the NCAA loosens its rules to allow schools to offer financial compensation for athletes. The school would need to invest an additional $49 million in football over the next five years to remain competitive in Conference USA, the report said...

Full story at http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-alabama-football-20141231-story.html

Change is coming.  While we wait: