Summary Of The Shame Of College Sports

In the article “The Shame of College Sports”, author Taylor Branch describes the corrupt and malignant underside of highly popular college sports complex. He conducts myriad interviews which demonstrate the anger and outrage people feel when they discover athletes are being paid under the table, but argues that ultimately the scandal lies in the structure of the Collegiate Sports Complex itself in which everyone (Universities, Coaches and athletic companies) are getting paid, while athletes see nothing. People show anger each time they learn that yet another student-athlete has been earning money under the table. But the actual scandal is the structure of the college sports, wherein the athletes generate billions of dollars for colleges, universities and private corporations and get nothing in return for themselves. Sonny Vaccaro, a former sports marketing executive, reveals that the best way to advertise their athletic materials is to either “buy the school” or the coach. The colleges Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics question Sonny Vaccaro that , asking why should a university be an advertising medium for his industry, to which he replies that he can only offer it to gain the profit from the college sports while the universities take it. College sports are deeply carved in the American culture; America is the only country in the world that hosts college sports in a very grand manner. There are also television channels
"The Shame of College Sports." The Engaged Reader. Ed. William Breeze, Jane Dugan, Melanie Gagich, Alex Nielsen, and Jessica Schantz. First ed. Cincinnati:Van Griner, n.d. N. pag.