Academics vs. Athletics: Career Concerns for NCAA Division I Coaches

NBER Working Paper No. 22120

Issued in March 2016

NBER Program(s):Economics of Education



We analyze the promotions and firings of NCAA Division 1 college basketball and college football coaches to assess whether these coaches are rewarded for the academic performance of their players in promotion and retention decisions. We find that an increase in Academic Progress Rate, as measured by the NCAA, for a college team in either sport significantly reduces the probability that the coach is fired at the end of the season. We find little to no evidence that an increase in the Academic Progress Rate enhances the chances of advancement (in the form of outside job offers) for these coaches.

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Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w22120

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