Big-Time Pigskin Success

Abstract

This article uses a combination of measures of big-time football success not examined in previous studies. Using updated data between 1990 and 2002 and adjusting for key academic variables, this article tested whether there is statistical evidence that SAT scores are influenced by success in a high-quality football program. Contrary to other publications that found a weak advertising effect or no advertising effect before 1990, the finding of this research is that there is a robust statistically significant positive impact for successful football teams during recent years on the quality of incoming freshmen, beginning with the incoming freshmen class of 1996. Hence, a strong athletic success advertising effect or positive externality does indeed exist for football after the formation of the bowl alliance in 1995.