The Impact of Moving from FCS to FBS on the Institution
Abstract
I explore the impact of competing in elite-level college football on the institution's financial health by analyzing institutions that reclassified from NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision. I find that this reclassification is associated with increases in applications, first-year enrollment, and total enrollment. While it decreases per student tuition revenue relative to its counterfactual, total revenue increases.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Innovation in Digital Healthcare Systems
Publication details
- Journal / source
- International Journal of Sport Finance
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 131–143
- Publication date
- 8 June 2026
- Language
- EN