TY  - JOUR
AU  - Lindo,Jason M.
AU  - Swensen,Isaac D.
AU  - Waddell,Glen R.
TI  - Are Big-Time Sports a Threat to Student Achievement?
JF  - National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series
VL  - No. 17677
PY  - 2011
Y2  - December 2011
UR  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w17677
L1  - http://www.nber.org/papers/w17677.pdf
N1  - Author contact info:
Jason M. Lindo
Department of Economics
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1285
Tel: 541/346-4664
E-Mail: jlindo@uoregon.edu

Isaac Swensen
Department of Economics
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1285
E-Mail: isaac@uoregon.edu

Glen Waddell
Department of Economics
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403-1285
Tel: 541 346 1259
E-Mail: waddell@uoregon.edu
AB  - We consider the relationship between collegiate-football success and non-athlete student performance. We find that the team's success significantly reduces male grades relative to female grades. This phenomenon is only present in fall quarters, which coincides with the football season. Using survey data, we find that males are more likely than females to increase alcohol consumption, decrease studying, and increase partying in response to the success of the team. Yet, females also report that their behavior is affected by athletic success, suggesting that their performance is likely impaired but that this effect is masked by the practice of grade curving.
ER  -