COVID-19

AD Survey Looks Into Pandemic Concerns Among College Sports

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Athletic academic progress and financial uncertainty were top concerns stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey of more than 100 athletic directors from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

Conducted by the LEAD1 Association, which represents the athletic directors of the 130-member schools of the Football Bowl Subdivision and Teamworks, the athlete engagement platform for collegiate and professional organizations, the survey polled LEAD1’s membership base of athletic directors on current issues in collegiate athletics, including student-athlete wellness, financial security and sacrifices, and strategic planning.

The survey found that the majority of the more than 100 FBS athletics directors who responded are seeing the strain on their student-athletes, with finances also top-of-mind for every department.

And while only eight percent of ADs project a 30 percent-plus decrease in revenue for 2019/20, 35 percent are preparing for that steep of a drop for 2020/21. Football is the key variable still at play given its tremendous impact on revenue.

“It is clear that the 100-plus athletics directors who responded to our survey believe their number one priority is to maintain the highest levels of physical health, safety and academic progress for their student-athletes,” explains LEAD1 president and CEO Tom McMillen.

“In response to the unprecedented uncertainty across our industry, athletics directors have pointed to academic progress and mental wellness as two of their primary concerns for student-athletes,” adds Zach Maurides, CEO and founder of Teamworks. “There isn’t a playbook to help our student-athletes move past this challenging time, and these findings underline the importance — now more than ever —  for teams to deeply engage with student-athletes to ensure they have the resources they need.”

“We have entered into a period of uncertainty and uncharted territory in college athletics. Not only for athletics directors but for student-athletes, coaches and administrators,” said Tom McMillen, president and CEO of LEAD1 Association. “We felt it necessary to capture the real-time concerns from our membership to best prepare them for what’s to come. It is clear that the 100+ athletics directors who responded to our survey believe their number one priority is to maintain the highest levels of physical health, safety and academic progress for their student-athletes.”

Among the other key findings:

  • 89 percent of ADs cited academic progress as one of their top three concerns in regard to their student-athletes over the next three months, with multiple ADs commenting that APR needs to be suspended;
  • Other key areas of focus include student-athlete mental health and lack of access to academic and athletic resources while off-campus.
  • 67 percent of ADs think that collegiate athletics should find a way to collectively contain costs and limit current compensation.