College athletics are often on the national stage, and now during March Madness they are inescapable. For a university’s basketball program, being invited to participate in the NCAA tournament means exposure, prestige, and money – a LOT of money. But, that’s a good thing, right?
Mark Yost, sports journalist and author of the new book Varsity Green: A Behind the Scenes Look at Culture and Corruption in College Athletics has his doubts. His book cuts through the clichés and common misconceptions to take a hard-eyed look at the current state of college basketball, and he takes readers behind the scenes to dissect the enormous television revenues, merchandising rights, sneaker contracts, and endorsement deals that often pay state university coaches more than the college president – or even the governor.
Yost’s book has been getting a lot of attention this winter, both from those who think he’s right on the money and those who think he’s missing the whole point. From interviews with radio stations all over the nation to articles in prestigious publications, check out some of the chatter around Varsity Green here:
An interview with National Review Online
An Article, written by Yost, in the Wall Street Journal
An article in the Boston Globe
You can also read the first chapter of Yost’s book on the Stanford University Press website, here.
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