Author Description

As universities and colleges across type attempt to position themselves for greater prestige and increased resources, they are using intercollegiate athletics in strategic ways. Spectator sports, in particular, raise institutional profile, while underscoring the collegiate atmosphere long associated with universities within the popular culture. They enliven campus culture, giving it form. Athletics also bring national exposure to institutions, building brand and enhancing legitimacy; encourage involvement by local communities, make campuses more accessible; and cause individuals to identify with institutions, inviting them to strengthen their connections. These are precisely the goals of external relations. Athletics offer a tool toward realizing them -- from the publisher.