Lourdes University tripled its athletic roster over the last decade. But instead of growing enrollment, it saw a nearly 50% decline.
This isn’t just Lourdes’ story—it’s a warning signal for small Christian colleges nationwide. Many are treating athletics as a silver-bullet strategy to shore up headcount. But headcount isn’t the same as health.
When athletics expands without a clear strategic rationale, it can crowd out non-athletes, strain budgets, and dilute institutional focus. That’s because more athletes don’t necessarily mean more mission-fit students, more fans, more engagement, or more margin.
At TG Three, we’ve seen this pattern repeatedly: Colleges add teams—JV squads, co-ed esports, obscure or niche sports—under the belief that low-cost, low-scholarship sports will “pay for themselves.” But they rarely do. The economics are often upside down.
The Cost Side:
- Recruiting, coaching stipends, uniforms, travel, trainers, facilities.
- Fixed costs spread across increasingly thin margins.
- Growth in athletic staff outpacing investment in academics or student life.
The Revenue Side:
- Athletic aid often neutralizes net tuition gains.
- Non-athletes (who typically yield higher margins) are squeezed out of the student mix.
- Athletic “customers” are often less engaged with the institution’s broader value proposition.
This is not to say athletics doesn’t matter; it does. But it only matters when it aligns with institutional strategy and supports a brand promise that resonates with students.
That’s why Christian colleges must ask a deeper question: What are the real jobs our students are hiring us to do?
If your brand promise is built around spiritual formation, academic excellence, and transformative community, then every key activity, including athletics, must deliver on that promise.
This is what Michael Porter calls “fit” in strategy. It’s not just about what you offer, but how your offerings work together to reinforce your value proposition.
Take George Fox University as an example. In 1995, they moved from the NAIA to NCAA Division III. No athletic scholarships. A shift toward academic and mission-aligned peers. Within a year, tuition increased by 11%, enrollment rose, and the institution gained prestige, not just players.
Athletics didn’t become the strategy. It became part of a strategy.
So here’s the strategic takeaway:
Christian colleges don’t need more sports. They need a clear strategy that aligns their brand promise, academic identity, and economic reality.
It’s time to stop asking, “How do we add teams?”
And start asking, “How do we align athletics with mission, market, and margin?”
–Rob Westervelt is the Founder and Partner at TG Three with over 26 years of experience. TG Three is a values-driven strategy company dedicated to serving Christian institutions to help get them from where they are to where they want to be.