On Wed, 19 Apr 1995, Bob Stagat wrote:
 
> I just read today's Digest and I was struck by a certain dichotomy in several
> of the discussion topics. On the one hand, Tony Buffa gets beat up for
> bemoaning the fact that faculty salaries suck compared to those of athletic
> coaches. The general tone of the responses is, "Hey Tony, wake up and smell
> the coffee...the basic economic fact of life is that winning teams bring in
> the big bucks and you physics PhDs don't!"
>
> On the other hand, there are also a couple of messages complaining about the
> big bad IRS who wants to tax all those bucks that the athletic departments
> bring in. In this case, I'm sure, the schools trumpet the quality education
> provided by their quality faculty and deny any heinous motivation, like a
> desire to accumulate filthy lucre.
>
> Seems to me that the responses to Tony's posts clearly imply that college
> athletics is nothing more nor less than the big business that the schools
> themselves so fervently disavow to the IRS. My sympathies lie with Tony,
> although I fear neither of us will live long enough to "see it come home to
> roost."
>
> Bob Stagat
> RPI '64 & '68
>
Actually, most athletic programs are revenue neutral at best.  I don't
think they have much to fear from a fair IRS, other than mounds and
mounds of paperwork.
 
James