The UNL College of Business Administration Department of Economics will be hosting a unique seminar on the economics of intercollegiate athletics, Friday, September 30, at 10:00 am in the UNL Wick Alumni Center. Dr. John Siegfried, professor of economics emeritus from Vanderbilt University and secretary treasurer of the American Economic Association, will be presenting his research titled, "What Does Intercollegiate Athletics Do To (or For) Colleges and Universities?"

Through their work with the American Economic Association, UNL professors William Walstad and Sam Allgood were able to make the event happen. Walstad encourages everyone interested in the subject to attend.

“John Siegfried has a very entertaining and direct way of presenting economic ideas and issues,” Walstad said. “I think it’ll be quite useful for everyone and valuable for students to hear him speak.”

The primary topic Siegfried will cover includes the commercial qualities of intercollegiate sports, and how that affects the university as a whole.

“He’ll talk about the effects of sports on public relations for universities and advertising that occur from collegiate athletics,” Walstad added. “He’ll also address the issue of intercollegiate sports and donations to colleges and universities -- whether that’s a positive or negative effect. Then he’ll look at the effect of athletics and intercollegiate competition on the athletes themselves, both in terms of their academic performance and their athletic careers, either in professional sports or in other areas.”

Walstad is enthused about the opportunity that students will have to meet Siegfried after his talk.

“He will meet with the graduate students for lunch. One of his areas of research is the study of the Ph.D. in economics and the income and earnings of Ph.D. economists, so he’ll look at this with our economic graduate students and talk about different career paths for Ph.D. students. Since he’s secretary treasurer of the American Economic Association, he knows very broadly about what is going on in terms of the profession.”

The timing of the talk is also fitting as it will take place the day before the Nebraska football team plays its first official game against a Big Ten opponent when they travel to play Wisconsin the following day.

The seminar is open to the public. Published: September 19, 2011