Princeton’s Latest Lacrosse Title Shows Fluidity of NCAA Economics

Key Points:

• Princeton men's lacrosse, once dominant but struggling after coach Bill Tierney's departure in 2010, has resurged to win the 2023 NCAA title, their first since 2001, signaling a return to elite status.
• The expansion of college lacrosse westward and increased investment from wealthier athletic departments initially seemed to threaten traditional powerhouses like Princeton, but recent shifts in athlete compensation have limited big schools' spending on non-revenue sports.
• Revenue from athlete compensation is heavily concentrated in football and basketball, with about 92.5% of payments at major schools going to those sports, allowing smaller programs with strong endowments like Princeton, Cornell, and Johns Hopkins to maintain competitive advantages in men's lacrosse.
• The current top tier of men's lacrosse resembles the landscape from 15 years ago, dominated by historically successful programs, and smaller schools with niche sports can still compete effectively without facing overwhelming financial pressure from wealthier universities.
• While some changes in men's lacrosse spending and competitiveness are evident, the sport remains distinct from others like men's ice hockey and women's lacrosse, where Power Four schools have more dominance due to different investment patterns and Title IX factors.