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Still, the arguments are compelling for creating athletics majors on campus.

Universities routinely give degrees in the performing arts, such as music, dance and theater, as Professor Shughart pointed out. In these programs performances are often given to audiences paying for the privilege of seeing exceptional talent on display.

Beyond our cultural biases, what really is the difference between a Shakespeare play, an orchestra concert and a basketball game? Each performance requires some high-level combination of physical ability and mental acuity, developed through years of training and study, and for which only a select few reach elite levels.

Another proponent of an athletics major is John V. Lombardi, a former president of the University of Florida and the Louisiana State University System. In an article two years ago in Inside Higher Ed, he argued that degrees in athletics would involve far more than just playing games.

His case for athletics degrees is based on a “structured curriculum” off the field, in areas such as “sports history, sports law, sports finance.” Students would also have to meet general education requirements. Here at the University of Colorado, Boulder, for instance, we have begun an academic program in sports governance housed within the athletic department, serving the entire student body.

nafod wrote:Beyond our cultural biases, what really is the difference between a Shakespeare play, an orchestra concert and a basketball game?

Beyond our cultural biases, what really is the difference between a Shakespeare play, an orchestra concert and a basketball game? Each performance requires some high-level combination of physical ability and mental acuity, developed through years of training and study, and for which only a select few reach elite levels.

Grandpa's Spells wrote:There are many talent-tiers of performance for music and acting that people will pay to see, and that graduates can participate in decades after graduation. That's not true of post-college athletics.

Blaidd Drwg wrote:

Grandpa's Spells wrote:There are many talent-tiers of performance for music and acting that people will pay to see, and that graduates can participate in decades after graduation. That's not true of post-college athletics.

"pay to see"...what a mentally and spiritually crippled outlook.

There's massive amounts of post college recreational athletics that are incredibly well supported ranging from the equiv. of community theater all the way up to truly masterful work. The big four sports are not in that list but that shouldn't undermine the premise that lifelong athleticism is a *GOOD* thing....every bit as fulfilling to those who pursue it as playing an instrument or producing works of art...regardless of who's in the audience.

Grandpa's Spells wrote:

Blaidd Drwg wrote:

Grandpa's Spells wrote:There are many talent-tiers of performance for music and acting that people will pay to see, and that graduates can participate in decades after graduation. That's not true of post-college athletics.

"pay to see"...what a mentally and spiritually crippled outlook.

The subtext was there's infrastructure and the artist isn't paying to perform. Athletes usually pay to compete.

I'm not saying it's right. The question was: what's the difference? The answer is there's a pretty good number of differences. Another is that classes associated with art/music/acting enhance the student's skill, which isn't the case with athletes, unless the classes are practice/training, which isn't what this sounded like.

There's massive amounts of post college recreational athletics that are incredibly well supported ranging from the equiv. of community theater all the way up to truly masterful work. The big four sports are not in that list but that shouldn't undermine the premise that lifelong athleticism is a *GOOD* thing....every bit as fulfilling to those who pursue it as playing an instrument or producing works of art...regardless of who's in the audience.

You don't need "sports law" and "sports finance" for that. Maybe you have a different view of what the degree should be from what is described by the author.

Pinky wrote:There are already phys ed degrees, as well as sports management degrees. Are people really concerned that the fluffy education and management classes are taking too much time away from fluffy classes about sports?

This degree helps to prepare students for careers in performance or composition. Studio instruction is offered in all orchestral instruments, piano, organ, and voice. Entrance to the Bachelor of Music in Performance program requires a strong background of musical accomplishment and may require a separate audition after initial acceptance to the school. Admission to the Bachelor of Music in Composition program is based on the student's portfolio of compositions, an interview, and an audition on his or her primary instrument or voice.

nafod wrote:

Pinky wrote:There are already phys ed degrees, as well as sports management degrees. Are people really concerned that the fluffy education and management classes are taking too much time away from fluffy classes about sports?

I think the argument is about how a musician performs as part of their degree, so why not an athlete? Why not get credit for all of that training?

Pinky wrote:

nafod wrote:

Pinky wrote:There are already phys ed degrees, as well as sports management degrees. Are people really concerned that the fluffy education and management classes are taking too much time away from fluffy classes about sports?

I think the argument is about how a musician performs as part of their degree, so why not an athlete? Why not get credit for all of that training?

So they just want to give class credit for practice time, and let athletes graduate without taking actual courses beyond the gen ed requirements? I actually find that less objectionable than creating another bullshit department where people teach nonsensical classes designed to cater to morons.