Really, it's all about the student-athletes.

by BatesHorn on Apr 6, 2010 12:18 PM CDT

According to the National Journal's annual Salary Survey, the NCAA is one of the biggest trade association's in DC, revenue wise.

Bigger than the American Petroleum Institute, bigger than the American Cancer Society, bigger than the Chamber of Commerce. More than the UAW, Pharma, or just about anyone else you love or hate.

After AARP, the American Red Cross and the Nature Conservancy (which owns land for conservation purposes), few, if any organizations, can boast about the revenue the NCAA brought in last year: $658 million.

For comparison, the American Cancer Society made $429 million, the Chamber pulled down $147 million, AFL-CIO: $151 million, an enviro group, the Natural Resources Defense Council took $108 million. Your more typical, you've never heard it organization, like the Epilepsy Foundation, scrapped by on $14 million.

On a nice note, it looks like the estate of Myles Brand should be o.k. following his untimely passing last October: he made $1.6 million dollars in 2009.

The more you know.

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AFL-CIO made…..ah, fuck it, nevermind.

by magnusbleuveigner on Apr 6, 2010 1:01 PM CDT reply actions

Bates -

I think the NCAA is going to be fodder for a lot of stories around here. I think they are going to increasingly come under the gun.

Witness the commercials running throughout the tourney about “How the NCAA spends its money.”

Hypocrisy central.

by Sailor Ripley on Apr 6, 2010 1:04 PM CDT reply actions

Yeah, they made it sound like they fund all the scholarships in America.

by Bob in Houston on Apr 6, 2010 1:21 PM CDT reply actions

Great stuff.

by Scipio Tex on Apr 6, 2010 1:42 PM CDT reply actions

You can’t tell me the US blew up it’s own ship, the Maine, without the help of the AFL-CIA.

by Nero on Apr 6, 2010 1:58 PM CDT reply actions

Technically, all these groups, or the vast bulk of them, are non-profits, who represents a specific constituency or cause. But the odd thing about the NCAA is that it represents, who, exactly? Student-Athletes? Please. The NCAA basically represents itself.

by bateshorn on Apr 6, 2010 2:22 PM CDT reply actions

The NCAA is an easy (and justifiable) target for barbs about its mission, but I find it hard to get too worked up over this.

the Chamber pulled down $147 million, AFL-CIO: $151 million, an enviro group, the Natural Resources Defense Council took $108 million.

and UT pulled down $138 million, while Florida took in 101 million in 2009. The fact that the NCAA is hypocritical about its mission of “being all about the student-athlete,” — isn’t the problem for D-1 programs — its that its about NCAA interference with the major schools running a more efficient (i.e. profitable) operation.