Penn State’s “Success With Honor”

Abstract

In the wake of the Penn State child sex tragedy, media coverage tended to focus on the individuals involved rather than the corporatized university’s economic motivations and the institutional structure under which officials’ (in)actions occurred. This article interrogates and critiques that institutional structure, arguing that the “brand logic” of big-time intercollegiate athletics programs places image and profits ahead of people. In conjunction with on-field success, image and branding play prominently in an athletics program’s ability to maximize new revenue streams (e.g., licensing and merchandising). Further, administrators argue that athletics function as a university’s “front porch,” returning (symbolic) value to the institution (e.g., community, visibility, branding, alumni giving, and student applications). Thus, university and athletics administrators constantly take brand logic into their decision-making. The fallout from the Penn State tragedy offers insights into the ways in which brand logics disincentivize ethical decision-making when image, reputation, and millions of dollars are on the line.