We were curious to examine the correlation between success and recruiting expenditure, looking at the highest spenders for Division-II and the lowest spenders for Division-I over the years 2008-2011—with the thought that the players on the field ultimately determine athletic success.
Using data from the EADA (Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act), we looked at whether these D-I schools also spend more as a percentage of total expenses, and whether these schools could still be successful despite the low spend on recruiting; and conversely whether the high spenders in Division-II did better in their respective competition.
To do this we considered the highest spending Division-II teams, which were defined as teams that spent more than $100,000 in total recruiting expenditures, and Division-I teams that spent less than $400,000, and earned a nonzero point amount in the Director’s Cup. When we examined these Directors’ Cup Numbers, the results were not overly surprising.
The high spending Division-II teams averaged 409 Director’s Cup Points, compared to only 108 for the low spending Division-I teams. While Division I teams are spending up to 4 times the amount of money that Division-II teams are in recruiting, Division-II teams still have more competitive programs in the context of their respective competition.
Yet the argument could be made that Division-I teams can more afford to have these large recruiting budgets. When we look at the percentages of total expenditures that recruiting comprises, this argument is verified. Out of the Division-II high spenders, recruiting takes up 2.1% of their budgets, while the Division-I low spenders’ recruiting expenditures take up only 1.6% of their total budgets. Indeed, Division-I does have its advantages, at least in terms of recruiting budget (if not the on-field performance as signified by Directors’ Cup points)—the 4X greater spending still comprises less of total athletic expenditures for the D-Is.
| Category | Top Division II | Bottom Division I |
| Cutoff Expenditure | >$100,000 | <$400,000 |
| Average Director Cup Points | 409 | 108 |
| Recruiting Avg % of Total | 2.1 | 1.6 |
University Recruiting Expenses (Ordered by highest total amount of expenses)
| Year | University | NCAA Division II – With or Without Football | Men’s Recruiting Expenses | Women’s Recruiting Expenses |
| 2011 | Bemidji State University | With Football | $120,489 | $86,116 |
| 2011 | University of Alaska Anchorage | Without Football | $116,126 | $82,333 |
| 2011 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | With Football | $136,513 | $60,669 |
| 2009 | Saint Cloud State University | With Football | $127,068 | $63,823 |
| 2011 | Grand Canyon University | Without Football | $114,974 | $75,087 |
| 2010 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | With Football | $132,303 | $56,236 |
| 2008 | Abilene Christian University | With Football | $110,305 | $78,025 |
| 2008 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | With Football | $109,691 | $66,185 |
| 2008 | Saint Cloud State University | With Football | $112,628 | $56,987 |
| 2010 | Grand Canyon University | Without Football | $109,549 | $55,897 |
| 2010 | University of Central Missouri | With Football | $125,413 | $39,720 |
| 2010 | Abilene Christian University | With Football | $99,400 | $64,369 |
| 2011 | Saint Cloud State University | With Football | $115,751 | $46,549 |
| 2008 | Northwest Missouri State University | With Football | $92,892 | $68,588 |
| 2010 | University of Alaska Anchorage | Without Football | $85,655 | $74,318 |
| 2010 | Saint Cloud State University | With Football | $100,698 | $58,879 |
| 2011 | Grand Valley State University | With Football | $110,820 | $47,508 |
| 2009 | Northwest Missouri State University | With Football | $94,373 | $61,361 |
| 2009 | Bemidji State University | With Football | $85,696 | $69,468 |
| 2009 | University of Alaska Anchorage | Without Football | $98,415 | $56,666 |
| 2011 | Missouri Southern State University | With Football | $105,065 | $49,806 |
| 2011 | Northern State University | With Football | $84,155 | $68,864 |
| 2009 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | With Football | $93,391 | $57,176 |
| 2011 | Delta State University | With Football | $109,442 | $40,588 |
| 2008 | University of Alaska Anchorage | Without Football | $92,379 | $55,988 |
| 2011 | Northern Michigan University | With Football | $106,387 | $35,033 |
| 2010 | Michigan Tech University | With Football | $108,361 | $32,762 |
| 2011 | Northern Kentucky University | Without Football | $79,474 | $60,995 |
| 2010 | Bemidji State University | With Football | $78,829 | $61,046 |
| 2009 | University of Central Missouri | With Football | $104,366 | $34,168 |
| 2011 | University of Minnesota-Duluth | With Football | $84,085 | $54,195 |
| 2011 | University of Alaska Fairbanks | Without Football | $75,521 | $62,406 |
| 2011 | Michigan Tech University | With Football | $111,070 | $26,686 |
| 2011 | Minot State University | With Football | $65,492 | $70,757 |
| 2008 | Bemidji State University | With Football | $67,002 | $67,939 |
| 2008 | West Texas A&M University | With Football | $83,681 | $48,759 |
| 2010 | University of Minnesota-Duluth | With Football | $81,124 | $51,139 |
| 2010 | Missouri Southern State University | With Football | $92,141 | $40,024 |
| 2009 | Michigan Tech University | With Football | $106,376 | $24,657 |
| 2010 | Augustana College | With Football | $96,652 | $34,239 |
| 2011 | Mercyhurst College | With Football | $78,474 | $50,740 |
| 2011 | Abilene Christian University | With Football | $81,423 | $47,262 |
