Voters are not sold on tax dollars for university athletics
by Brandon Burley and The Redemption Project
College sports are popular.
Public funding for college sports is a different question.
That is the center of a new national registered-voter poll from Overton Insights, which asked whether respondents would support or oppose their state directing tax dollars to public university athletic departments.
Overall, only 19% said they would definitely or somewhat support the idea.
Fifty-six percent said they would somewhat or definitely oppose it.
Forty-four percent said they would definitely oppose it.
That is a strong signal.
It does not mean voters dislike college athletics. It does not mean voters want football, basketball or other sports programs to fail. It does not mean people do not care about school pride, student-athletes, alumni culture or the economic activity that can come with major sports programs.
But it does suggest many voters draw a line when the question becomes whether state tax dollars should help fund public university athletic departments.
That is where the conversation changes
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Liking college sports is not the same as funding college sports
This is one of the easiest places for public debate to get sloppy.
A person can love college football and still oppose using state tax dollars for athletic departments.
A person can support student-athletes and still question whether sports should compete with roads, teacher pay, public safety, health care, rural hospitals, workforce training or tuition affordability.
A person can believe college athletics matter culturally while still asking whether athletic departments should be financially self-sustaining.
Those positions are not contradictory.
They are examples of voters separating emotional support from budget support.
College athletics can carry enormous public identity. In many states, a public university’s football or basketball program is not just a sports team. It is a cultural institution.
But cultural importance does not automatically answer the budget question.
The better question is not, “Do people like college sports?”
The better question is, “Should taxpayers be asked to support athletic departments, and under what conditions?”
The opposition is broad
The topline opposition is clear, but the party breakdown is also useful.
Republicans were especially opposed. Only 13% definitely or somewhat supported the idea, while 64% somewhat or definitely opposed it. Fifty-nine percent of Republicans said they definitely opposed using tax dollars for public university athletic departments.
Democrats were more divided, but still leaned against the idea. Twenty-three percent definitely or somewhat supported it, while 53% somewhat or definitely opposed it.
Independents were also skeptical. Twenty-three percent supported the idea, while 46% opposed it. Another 31% were not sure or had no opinion.
That pattern is important because this is not simply a left-right issue.
