Many mid-major athletic programs and stakeholders like the University of Denver are looking at the Power Four conferences as an invincible Goliath. Flush with a treasure trove of football money, they are turning their athletic departments into commercial, for-profit enterprises and basically hiring professional athletes. Armed with billion-dollar TV deals and a push to uncap scholarship limits only adds to the growing anxiety of the mid-majors.
The premise that the Power Four mega conferences will undoubtedly excel in the brave new collegiate sports landscape may be faulty, though. What if we are all wrong? What if the adage holds, “The bigger they are, the harder they fall?” Continue reading Realignment and Settlement Saga: Could We All Be Wrong?→
The Buchtel Bungalow sits on a tree-lined street at 2011 South Columbine Street east of the DU campus near Observatory Park. The modest structure was designed and built by F. T. Adams as a Craftsman-style bungalow in 1906-1907 for Henry Augustus Buchtel. It served as the Governor’s mansion from 1907-1909 while Buchtel served as governor of Colorado and also while Buchtel presided over the University of Denver from 1899-1920. Currently owned by DU, the house received a major facelift in 2011 but was at the center of a Denver City Council vote on a newly configured historical district. Continue reading DU’s Buchtel Bungalow & Chamberlin Observatory Added to Historic District→
DU Athletics released its Annual Report on the successes achieved by the department over the past academic year. The report was light on financials but heavy on the successes achieved by the Denver Athletics division both on and off the court. Continue reading DU Athletics Releases 2023-24 Annual Report→
College athletes whose efforts ‘primarily benefit’ their schools may qualify as employees deserving of pay under federal wage-and-hour laws, a U.S. appeals court ruled Thursday. This is yet another setback for the NCAA and member universities. However, the interpretation of the court’s findings is not clear-cut.
An enrollment cliff, driven in large part by declining birth rates, will begin to impact colleges around the country in 2025. The number of U.S. high school graduates is expected to peak in 2025 or 2026 and then decline for years to come. The decline is in addition to other headwinds such as the financial crisis, declining male enrollment in post-secondary education, new educational models, state demographics, and cynicism about ‘relevance’ of a modern college degree. Continue reading DU Faces ‘Enrollment Cliff’→
We have reported the University of Denver area crime reports for the consolidated neighborhoods of University/University Park for a number of years. Some of our readers are interested in the results and others believe we should just cover sports but as far as we’re concerned, community safety is an important measure for University staff, students, and local residents.
Recently, the City of Denver took $11 million from the police budget and allocated the funds to create the Denver Office of Neighborhood Safety — independent of the city’s police force. Said Mayor Mike Johnston to The Denver Post, “We believe that in order for these programs to be most accessible (and) most community driven … they should be built with an eye every day towards equity.” Rather than pass judgment on this change to City policy, we will continue to track local crime closely to see if Johnston and the City Council achieve their vision of a safer community. Keep in mind that this six-month report does not reflect the impact of the city’s new crime and safety policy. Continue reading University Area Crime Reports Show Drop in Property Crimes→
As we discussed yesterday, two major changes are facing NCAA Division I members. First, back pay of $2.8 billion to former student-athletes to be paid over 10 years. Second, the remaining Power Four conferences have agreed to pay all their athletes going forward and begin ‘revenue sharing’. Mid-majors, including DU, can opt-in by paying some or all of their athletes. Continue reading Part 2: The $2.8 Billion NCAA Settlement – The Impact on DU→
Club sports play a big role in DU student’s lives. Clubs help students build a lasting connection to the University while developing a network of friends and lifelong memories. We believe club sports are a vital part of DU culture and we hope you consider supporting DU Rugby, or other DU sports clubs, during the 1Day4DU day of giving. Continue reading 1Day4DU – Support DU Club Sports: A Look Inside DU Men’s Club Rugby→
Last week, the West Coast Conference (WCC) announced the addition of Grand Canyon and Seattle University. The universities are leaving their current home, the West Athletic Conference (WAC), to assume full membership in 2025. The two moves bypass the University of Denver. However, this is likely not the last expansion move for the WCC. Conference insiders have said that the conference will eventually stand at 12-14 full-time members. Continue reading Denver Misses Out as WCC Adds Grand Canyon and Seattle University→
