Far predating the establishment of the NCAA in 1906, amateurism was a core concept underlying elite sport throughout the world. Dating all the way back to the ancient Olympic games, scholars declared that only those who participated in sport for the love of the game and character and moral growth that came from such pursuit were true amateurs and gentlemen. But, what if I told you true amateurism never existed... that it was an invented tradition created to separate social classes and keep only the wealth involved in various sports? And what if those corrupted principles were the core concepts that underlay the establishment of intercollegiate athletics and the amateur model upon which it was built?

In today's podcast we will tackle the history of amateurism, its ties to college athletics, and how it fits the past, present, and future model of higher education. So, if you ever wondered why the NCAA has clung to the notion of amateurism so tightly, even while allowing its student-athletes to bring in scholarships, NIL money, and direct pay-for-performance, this is the podcast for you. So, just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

Today we deep dive into the Division I governance changes that were instituted in 2025 by NCAA, paying particular attention the the College Sports Commission. More specifically, we discuss how NCAA governance has grow, change, and shifted over time and what brought about those shifts.

College sports have a the focal point of public controversy and debate since the 1850s. The NCAA was founded to address these issues in the early 1900s but has had minimal success. More specifically, they are seen as a polarizing entity, with stakeholders having strong feelings about a plethora of topics that make up the college sport debate. This notion is voiced well by the current university president Gordon Gee, who stated in 2007,

"I am an avid supporter of intercollegiate athletics. But I believe intercollegiate athletics is in danger of losing its direction and its soul. By that I mean it has become corporatized, it has become isolated and it has become disconnected from the vitality and the values of the university."

But where did these issues begin and how have they evolved over the last 125 years?

Today we will deep dive into the history of men's college sports and the NCAA to try to answer these questions and more.