Louisville AD Josh Herd, President Dr. Gerry Bradley Publish Editorial on State of College Sports

In the ever-changing world of college athletics, institutional leaders at the University of Louisville have spoken out, releasing an editorial titled From the Arena, Not the Sidelines: College Athletics is Running Out of Time, authored by University President Dr. Gerry Bradley, Vice President and Director of Athletics Josh Heird, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr. Laurence N. Benz.

The article breaks down the current state of college athletics, though doing so from the perspective of one singular athletic department, one that competes in a power four conference (the ACC), and offers 23 different collegiate sports in which students can compete, and with the hopes of making a case for structural reforms that they believe could help “save college athletics before it’s too late”.

“The goals of our athletic department are simple. We want to provide access and opportunity for young people to receive a degree from the University of Louisville through participation in one of our 23 sports. Next, we are tasked with ensuring those same students have a great experience while they participate in college athletics and compete for the University of Louisville,” the article reads. “Lastly, we strive to be highly competitive and compete to win ACC and NCAA Championships. Without competitive success, our financial problems will only continue to grow, not just for our department, but for our entire community.”

The writing then transitions to the academic side of athletics, citing a 96% graduation rate among athletes and a cumulative 3.4 grade point average for the 2024-2025 academic year, including the women’s swimming program’s 3.62 team GPA.

“In this tumultuous time of evolution and change in college athletics, the cynic will tell you, “academics are irrelevant” — they are wrong. The graduation success rate of our student-athletes exceeded 96% this past year. The cumulative GPA of our approximately 650 student-athletes during the 2024–2025 academic year was a 3.4, as said in the article. “We had nearly 100 students with a perfect 4.0 GPA this past fall semester. “Our women’s swimming team that most recently finished 7th at the NCAA National Championship meet had a team GPA of 3.62… We take the responsibility of graduating and preparing our student-athletes for success after sport very seriously, and we’re proud of the results.”

In the city of Louisville, which does not have a major professional sports team within 100 miles, (though they do have a Triple-A baseball team) the article shows that the city is fueled by the athletic department, as are so many cities nationwide, regardless of division or classification.

“The University of Louisville’s sports teams are who this city cheers for, plain and simple. Communities revolve around college sports. Louisville certainly does — but so does Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Morgantown, West Virginia, and Manhattan, Kansas, and hundreds of other cities and towns across America,” the article reads. “Too often, especially in Washington and on the coasts, people forget how important college athletics is to so many people. It is worth saving.”

Economically, the athletic programs at the University of Louisville have continued to provide for the community. As mentioned in the article, over the span of three academic years, from fiscal years 2023 to 2025, Cardinals athletics have generated $3.84 billion in economic impact.

“Through national broadcasts, streaming platforms, social media, radio, and print coverage, Louisville Athletics delivered more than $2.3 billion in brand exposure value over the same three years. To replicate that level of national visibility through paid advertising would require an estimated $700 million investment. That exposure elevates the University of Louisville far beyond athletics — supporting student recruitment, enrollment interest, philanthropy, partnerships, and institutional reputation on a national scale.”

They refer to athletics as more than an enterprise, but as a “strategic asset for the University, city, and Commonwealth of Kentucky,” helping fuel the economy, the University’s outreach and brand, and continuing to attract outside visitors to the area.

But the issue plaguing not only Louisville but also various colleges nationwide is that, regardless of size, many of these programs operate at a financial deficit.

“Our current athletic budget reflects expenditures of approximately $167.4 million against revenues of $154.9 million, a deficit of $12.5 million. That gap is projected to widen significantly under the House v. NCAA settlement, which has added an additional $20.5 million in new direct athlete compensation obligations.” as stated in the article. “To bridge these shortfalls, Louisville has relied on a $12 million institutional subsidy, a $200-per-student athletic fee and a $25 million line of credit. Reserves that once stood at $34 million have been drawn down to approximately $3.4 million. These are not signs of mismanagement; they are symptoms of a structural problem that no single institution can solve on its own. Louisville’s situation is not the exception — it is the rule. Across the country, from the wealthiest programs in the nation to those fighting simply to stay afloat, the financial picture is remarkably and alarmingly similar.”

The issues run deeper than the dollar amounts. With Name, Image, and Likeness and revenue sharing, spending challenges have grown, making it harder to manage at a high level.

“At Louisville, we sponsor 23 sports, 14 for women and nine for men. Twenty-one of these sports operate in the red, and two operate in the black — and we’re considered one of the lucky few. Our football program is expected to spend approximately $30 million on financial aid, salaries, and operating costs, this total does not include revenue sharing expenses. Our football and men’s basketball program are the economic engine that subsidizes 21 other varsity programs. Our baseball program — the one that is in the nation’s top five for wins over the last 20 years — is estimated to lose over $4 million for the 2026 season. Our women’s basketball program, which has won at least 20 games for 16 consecutive seasons, will have expenses that exceed revenues by over $4 million. Our Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving and Track and Field teams will cost our department nearly $6 million to operate this fiscal year.”

The article calls this the Paradox of NIL and Revenue Sharing: heavily supporting a few while “eroding support for many.” The article also cites women’s sports and Olympic sports being at the highest risk, which is nothing new to anybody who follows more than just college football or basketball.

In the editorial, they cite three things that they think must happen to reach a solution: congressional action, a capable governing body, and a spending cap.

“We applaud all of those in and around the college sports industry who have come forward in recent months with ideas and potential solutions. No idea should be considered a “non-starter.” We recognize that where an institution stands depends on where they sit. A variety of factors come into play when schools are deciding what solutions might work best for them. These are complicated issues with a variety of potential solutions. However, we do passionately believe that there are three things that must happen: Congressional action, a governing body that can actually govern, and a hard and enforceable spending cap.”

“The time for incremental tinkering has passed. College athletics needs structural reform, and it needs it now. We are proud to stand with the growing coalition of university leaders, board chairs and advocates who are committed to saving college sports for the next generation.”