Buffalo, NY - Canisius University President Steve Stoute was featured in the Viewpoints section of The Buffalo News on Sunday, March 16, with an op-ed addressing the growing inequality in college athletics and its impact on the beloved NCAA basketball tournament.
In his piece titled "March Sadness: The Curtain Call for Cinderella Stories," President Stoute examines how financial disparities between power conference schools and smaller institutions threaten the future of underdog success stories that have long defined March Madness.
"For a few glorious weeks in March, college basketball owns the sports landscape," writes President Stoute. "Driving the excitement is the possibility of smaller, lesser-resourced teams, so-called Cinderellas, knocking off a talent (and money) stocked team from a 'power conference.' That spellbinding hold on our collective consciousness may soon end as the teams with the most money seek even more, leaving little left for Cinderella to make it to the big dance."
The op-ed highlights stark economic differences in Division I athletics, noting that while median "power conference" institutions generate approximately $145 million in revenue, institutions that don't sponsor football generate just $18 million, with more than three-quarters of that coming from institutional support and student fees rather than commercial sources.
President Stoute proposes a solution inspired by European soccer leagues, suggesting a restructured tournament format that would better preserve competitive balance and the tournament's magic.
"Rather than blindly allow economics to close the curtain on Cinderella, we could take a page from the European Soccer model, where multiple competitions showcase teams from various leagues with differing resource capabilities," President Stoute states. "This model creates a better, more equitable competitive experience for Division I student-athletes. It is more consistent with the very American ideal that the 'little guy' deserves a chance."
The op-ed continues President Stoute's engagement in national conversations about higher education and athletics. In February 2025, he shared a sobering critique of contemporary collegiate sports during a University of Toledo panel discussion, warning that fundamental educational values are being eroded by increasing commercialization.
Click here to read the full op-ed.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
