The Business of College Football: Book Recommendations

If, like me, you consider yourself a student of the business of college football, then you’ve come to the right place! I’ve pulled together a list of all of the business of college football books I’ve read. While I don’t necessarily agree with 100% of the opinions in these books, I do think they all have some interesting aspects worth a read.

First, my personal favorite — and no, it’s not my own book, Saturday Millionaires. However, this is the book I probably referred to the most while writing my own book.

The Fifty-Year Seduction: How Television Manipulated College Football, from the Birth of the Modern NCAA to the Creation of the BCS by Keith Dunnavant

Another one I consulted regularly for my book was

Beer and Circus: How Big-Time College Sports Has Crippled Undergraduate Education by Murray Sperber

This one came out just before mine, so it was another I read a few times as I worked on my own book years ago. Although we no longer need to make a case against the BCS, it’s still a good read for those who want to understand college football and explore the many different opinions of the modern era.

Death to the BCS: The Definitive Case Against the Bowl Championship Series by Dan Wetzel, Josh Peter and Jeff Passan

This is another one that came out around the same time as my book, but this one focuses more on scandals around college football.

The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian

Bowled Over: Big-Time College Football from the Sixties to the BCS Era by Michael Oriard

Season of Saturdays: A History of College Football in 14 Games by Michael Weinreb

If you’re interested in college football recruiting, this is a must-read.

Meat Market: Inside the Smash-Mouth World of College Football Recruiting by Bruce Feldman

Fourth and Long: The Fight for the Soul of College Football by John U. Bacon

Illegal Procedure: A Sports Agent Comes Clean on the Dirty Business of College Football by Josh Luchs and James Dale

For a more historical look at the NCAA from a former executive director…

Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Exploiting College Athletes by Walter Byers

And, of course, I couldn’t make a list of books on the business of college football without including my own…

Saturday Millionaires: How Winning Football Builds Winning Colleges by Kristi Dosh

Have I missed any of your favorites? If so, drop them in the comments!

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