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Institutional Strategy

Athletics Optimization

The intersection of athletics & strategy

Effectively Harnessing the power of athletics

Securing athletics strategies in a dynamic higher education environment can be challenging for even the most seasoned leaders. Connecting athletics to enrollment, student success, and revenue generation is only part of the puzzle. An athletics assessment from Credo will quickly clarify the most significant priorities and opportunities for collegiate athletics and student success. We will provide data, strategies, and resources through a comprehensive review of athletics across key focus areas for athletics strategy.

MISSION-FOCUSED STRATEGY FOR VIABLE ATHLETICS

Credo's athletics optimization work focuses on key matters in intercollegiate athletics including athletics scholarship strategy, athletics operations, and net tuition revenue enhancement. By identifying strategic ways to calibrate intercollegiate athletics to maximize current resources and planning for the future, we integrate enrollment strategies and provide recommendations to enhance the student experience, leading to increased student outcomes and resource generation for a more viable, robust athletics program. 

A Credo athletics optimization project can give you advantages through these strategic lenses

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Enrollment

Identify the most impactful priorities for enrollment growth & sustainability through the lens of athletics

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Benchmarking Data

Position your teams with data and a competitive analysis to locate additional opportunities in the broader athletics landscape

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Operations

Empower your campus talent to improve processes & priorities for maximum impact

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Student Experience

Leverage athletics to develop the whole student, build belonging & foster resounding student success & retention outcomes

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Community

Identify and showcase your unique position to ensure athletes have a greater chance of finding belonging & building community engagement

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Revenue

Prioritize strategic revenue, finance, and additional sources of viability by conducting financial analysis of scholarship models & financial aid


All the pieces for Your Athletics Roadmap

Our Credo team equips your athletics and leadership teams with everything you need to implement an athletics strategic plan or roadmap. 


A credo athletics assessment may Benefit your university in these key ways

Strategic Roadmap

Affirming and challenging institutional position in your conference, association, or divisional affiliations with benchmarking data and competitive analyses.

Compliance

Identify and mitigate possible concerns with federal and association compliance regarding Title IX, ADA, NCAA, and other areas important to your institution.

Opportunities for Alumni Engagement

Identify opportunities to increase and leverage alumni engagement, including: rankings, marketing, and advancement.

Enrollment Revenue

Determine how to best leverage athletics and its role in the overall institutional enrollment strategies.

Credo Resources For Strategic Athletics

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Consultant Expertise

Access to a team of consultants with decades of higher education intercollegiate athletics administration experience

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Benchmarking Data

Data, analysis, and resources to create or augment your athletics master plan including nationally benchmarked data and best practices from peer and aspirant institutions.

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Prioritized Recommendations

Our team will customize prioritized recommendations for achieving strategic athletic viability for your institution.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why do an athletics assessment?

    Whether you are hoping to fine tune athletics operations, increase athletics revenue generation, or conduct an athletics feasibility study, we will provide you with the benchmarking data you need to get started—along with prioritized recommendations—to maximize athletics efficiency, promote seamless change management, and enhance the overall viability of your institution's intercollegiate athletic programs.  

    Our assessment covers six key areas: 

    • Enrollment Strategies
    • Operations
    • Competitive Analysis & Benchmarking
    • Community Engagement 
    • Student Experience
    • Revenue Generation
  • What can my campus expect during the assessment?

    Though every campus will have a unique experiece, there are some overall benefits and outcomes that many of our campuses experience.

    Some things your community can expect during an Athletics Assessment from Credo include:

    • A total comprehensive and integrated exploration of athletics on your campus. 
    • An analysis of the full systems that impact athletics, including: recruitment, retention, staffing, student development, and facilities.
    • Campus conversation from the Board and President to students; both those participating and those not participating in intercollegiate athletics.
  • Can athletics assessments be completed with other strategic assessments to get a clear picture of the institution's overall financial health?

    Yes. Many institutions choose to do an athletics assessment in connection with other strategic assessments or plans.

    Here are a few ways that the Athletics Assessment can strengthen other areas on campus:

    • An Athletics Assessment can be included as a targeted part of a Strategic Plan, or be completed as a part of an Optimization project.
    • The prioritized recommendations from the athletics assessment may provide foundational philanthropic possibilities connected to athletics.
    • Benchmarking data and competitive analysis will give insights into perceptions of athletics: students, student-athletes, faculty, community, alumni.
    • The Athletic Assessment connects athletics to the over all strategic, financial, and operational big picture.
  • What outcomes might my institution expect from an athletics assessment?

    To give your institution the resources you need to successfully integrate an enhanced athletics strategy, Credo provides a strategic roadmap and prioritized recommendations. The elements in the roadmap can be connected to other strategic plans, and will give your institution benchmarking data, recommendations for compliance, and opportunities related to student and community engagement, athletics fundraising, and improved finances and resource allocation.