BENNER: Criticism heaped on NCAA takes toll on rank-and-file
The list of lightning-rod issues is long and, unfortunately, growing.
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NCAA titles don’t guarantee windfalls for universities
While supporters of big-time college athletics say basketball championships increase sports revenue, stimulate fundraising and encourage student applications, data compiled by Bloomberg News show that not all of that is true, and there’s no guarantee of a lasting effect.
Butler’s ‘high aspirations’ carry big-time risks
The move to the newly formed Big East athletic conference will cost Butler a lot more than its $2 million exit fee from the Atlantic 10.
Speedrome gains momentum with sponsorship deals
At a time when sports sponsorships in general and motorsports sponsorships in particular aren’t easy to score, the 72-year-old Speedrome has announced five such pacts in the last month.
Butler announces move to new Big East conference
Butler University, Creighton and Xavier will join the so-called Catholic 7 schools in the new basketball conference, the schools announced Wednesday. The conference agreed to play its men’s basketball tournament at Madison Square Garden for the next three years.
Indianapolis loses bid to host 2016 Olympic swim trials in stadium
Indianapolis has been eliminated as a candidate to host the 2016 U.S. Olympic swimming trials at Lucas Oil Stadium. USA Swimming told local leaders that the venue would be “challenging for creating an intimate swimming setting.”
Cummins, MainSource throwing weight behind new running event
With new running races crowding the landscape, some fear the market has become saturated. This fall, a new marathon in Columbus will do battle with two established events in Indianapolis.
Ticket brokers, city to take lumps as IU sent east
Ticket brokers took a gut punch Sunday when NCAA officials announced that Indiana University would not be playing in the Midwest Regional of the men's basketball tournament. Local tourism officials say the economic impact could drop $1.5 million.
Century 21 deal could boost Fisher’s team to new level
If things go well at Indy, sports marketers think Century 21 could become a much bigger sponsor for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. Clearly, the company has the resources to pour a seven-figure sum into the team.
Running events proliferate; sponsor dollars pour in
The 500 Festival Mini Marathon in May will once again focus Hoosier attention on distance running—a sport where shifting demographics and rising interest have combined to generate strong sponsorship revenue.
Ex-Butler chief hatched plan to use basketball to turn around university
Twenty-five years ago, Butler University President Geoffrey Bannister had an idea to elevate the college by making the lowly men’s Bulldog basketball team a national power, then use it as a marketing tool to engage alumni, increase annual giving to the school, and recruit more and better students and instructors.
Colts season-ticket renewals soar to near record high
After a surprising season behind a team built by new General Manager Ryan Grigson and led by rookie quarterback Andrew Luck, the Indianapolis Colts have seen their season-ticket renewal rate jump 8 percentage points, to near 95 percent, this off-season.
Indiana House backs bill allowing younger sports referees
The Indiana House voted 92-4 on Monday in favor of the bill adding youth sports officials to the list of jobs for which children younger than 14 can be hired.
IU’s Crean classless, misguided in postgame confrontation
IU basketball coach Tom Crean has become beloved by Hoosiers supporters for winning with class. After Sunday's victory he departed that path, let his emotion get the best of him and did a disservice to his current players.
Botched Miami probe latest controversy to tarnish NCAA
The mountain of ill will piling up against the NCAA and its CEO, Mark Emmert, threatens to derail some of Emmert’s bold initiatives and could topple Emmert himself.
BENNER: From the NBA to the Big Ten, putting butts in seats is king
Even watching the game from home on ESPN, a casual observer might have thought Bankers Lie Fieldhouse was a neutral court.
Golf business heats up thanks to 2012 drought
Positives can be hard to find in a record-breaking drought. However, for most of the roughly 430 golf courses in Indiana, last summer’s scorcher was actually good for business.
Indy’s new soccer team blowing sales expectations ‘out of the water’
Still 13 months from kickoff, sales are so brisk that team officials think they may sell out of season tickets for their inaugural season.
Indiana House panel OKs child labor-referee measure
An Indiana House panel on Tuesday unanimously approved a measure pushed by a 13-year-old boy that would allow sports leagues to hire youngsters like him as referees.
Information leaks threaten to sink IndyCar, Speedway
The scariest thing for the Speedway and IndyCar Series is that the breaches could indicate there are forces within the organization’s leadership pushing in different directions.