In general, beating a rival and/or winning a league championship in a popular sport leads to higher alumni engagement. In addition to being good for the overall

In general, beating a rival and/or winning a league championship in a popular sport leads to higher alumni engagement. In addition to being good for the overall social health of the alumni community, it also leads to higher donations. At Harvard specifically, beating Yale in football is a big deal within the community. At large state schools, sports can function as an incredible arm of marketing. In addition to benefits for the alumni community and donations, it also can impact recruiting to undergraduate and graduate programs. Case in point, check out the change in the quality of the student body at the University of Alabama since Saban has been coaching the football team. It has improved not just the profile of the undergrad student body, but also the profile of the law school student body (among other grad schools, I’ve been told). I will also add that being a varsity athlete puts the student in a totally-not-a-club club that makes a difference in certain social circles (especially in the northeast corridor).