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The impact of money on science: Evidence from unexpected NCAA football outcomes

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  • Tabakovic, Haris
  • Wollmann, Thomas G.

Abstract

How productive are university research investments, and do the resulting pools of knowledge create valuable, downstream technology — or simply accumulate in the “ivory tower”? This paper uses unexpected NCAA athletic outcomes to vary research support to university faculty and estimate knowledge productivity. We find positive, significant effects of research expenditures on articles published and patents filed. Then, using data on university technology licensing income, we show that these investments produce large returns in real terms.

Suggested Citation

  • Tabakovic, Haris & Wollmann, Thomas G., 2019. "The impact of money on science: Evidence from unexpected NCAA football outcomes," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:178:y:2019:i:c:s0047272719301276
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2019.104066
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    Cited by:

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    2. Lepinteur, Anthony & Nistico, Roberto, 2025. "‘Based on Admin Data!’: How Administrative Data Fosters Young Economists’ Career," IZA Discussion Papers 17906, IZA Network @ LISER.
    3. Joanna Wolszczak-Derlacz & Aleksandra Parteka & Sabina Szymczak & Piotr Platkowski, 2025. "Funding structure and university patenting: An analysis of European higher education institutions," GUT FME Working Paper Series A 75, Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdansk University of Technology, revised Feb 2026.
    4. Behera, Sarthak & Sadana, Divya, 2022. "The Impact of Visibility on School Athletic Finances: An Empirical Analysis using Google Trends," MPRA Paper 114818, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Craig Garthwaite & Jordan Keener & Matthew Notowidigdo & Nicole Ozminkowski, 2020. "Who Profits from Amateurism? Rent-Sharing in Modern College Sports," Working Papers 2020-117, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    6. Y. J. Jeff Qiu, 2023. "The Matthew effect, research productivity, and the dynamic allocation of NIH grants," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 54(1), pages 135-164, March.
    7. Azoulay, Pierre & Heggeness, Misty & Kao, Jennifer, 2025. "Medical research and health care finance: Evidence from Academic Medical Centers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(2).
    8. Önder, Ali & Torgler, Benno & Lariviere, Vincent & Moy, Naomi & Chan, Ho Fai & Schilling, Donata, 2022. "Science after Communism: Structural Change, Peers, and Productivity in East German Science," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264021, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    9. Tania Babina & Alex Xi He & Sabrina T. Howell & Elisabeth Ruth Perlman & Joseph Staudt, 2020. "The Color of Money: Federal vs. Industry Funding of University Research," NBER Working Papers 28160, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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