Kristian Ferrell
Private planes are becoming an increasingly common mode of transportation for sports teams at U.S. colleges and universities. Duke University's men's basketball team has been known to fly charter planes to most of their games, while the women's basketball team, which generates the third-highest revenue out of all Duke teams, flies charter planes less frequently, often travelling by bus.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Duke University sports teams that fly private | Men's basketball team, football team, and occasionally the women's basketball team |
| Reasons for flying private | Attracting athletes, raising money, rewarding coaches, athletic recruiting, shuttling administrators on trips to woo donors or lobby lawmakers |
| Inequities in flying private | The men's team flies charter planes almost everywhere they go, while the women's team has to take the bus more often |
| Comparison with other universities | Many universities are also using private planes, including the University of Kansas, the University of Tennessee, the University of Minnesota, Ohio State University, Iowa State University, the University of California at Los Angeles, Penn State, the University of Texas, the University of Wyoming, and more |
| Cost | The University of Minnesota spent $2.9 million chartering flights in one year |
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What You'll Learn
Duke Men's Basketball travels by chartered plane
Duke University is one of many universities that use chartered flights for their sports teams. The men's basketball team flies charter planes almost everywhere they go, while the women's team flies much less frequently and often travels by bus. This disparity in transportation is one of several inequalities between the men's and women's teams at Duke, with the men also receiving more clothing merchandise and preferential access to massage chairs in their locker rooms.
The use of private planes by universities has been a subject of debate. Proponents argue that it is economical for officials who need to travel frequently and to locations that are not easily accessible by commercial flights. Additionally, some schools state that private donations and athletic revenue, rather than taxpayer money, fund these flights. However, critics argue that the spending on private planes is a luxury that contributes to rising tuition fees.
The costs of chartered flights can add up quickly, as seen in the case of the University of Minnesota, which spent $2.9 million on charter flights in one year. Instances of overspending have also been reported, such as at the University of Kansas, where the men's basketball coach exceeded his budget for chartered flights by over $200,000 over three years.
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Duke Women's Basketball travels less frequently by plane
Duke University's men's basketball team travels to away games using chartered planes. The women's basketball team, however, travels less frequently by plane. While they sometimes fly charter, they more often travel by bus.
The men's team is given two to three new pairs of shoes every two weeks, while the women's team receives new basketball shoes once a month at most. The men's team is also given more clothing merchandise.
The women's team generates the third-highest revenue out of all Duke athletic teams, making $3,861,246, and the most out of any women's team. Despite this, the women's team is subject to inequities in comparison to the men's team, from transportation to the quality of their respective locker rooms.
The use of private planes is becoming increasingly common at U.S. colleges and universities, including for athletic recruiting and shuttling administrators on trips. Some schools defend the costs, saying that coaches and administrators need to travel more than ever, while commercial airlines are offering fewer flights. Critics, however, argue that such spending is a luxury, especially at a time when tuition fees continue to rise.
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Duke Women's Basketball is the third-highest revenue-making team
Duke University's sports teams experience various inequities, especially when it comes to the men's and women's basketball teams. While the men's basketball team at Duke University flies charter planes to almost all their games, the women's basketball team occasionally flies charter but more often travels by bus to their games. This disparity in transportation is just one example of the inequalities between the two teams.
The Duke Women's Basketball team's revenue contribution is impressive, especially considering the inequities they face in funding and expenses. In 2020, Duke spent a total of $57,114,331 on men's sports teams and $25,472,405 on women's sports teams. The men's basketball and football teams received the largest share of funding, with expenses per player of $1,329,949 and $217,047, respectively. On the other hand, the women's basketball team had total expenses of $8.2 million in 2022, and their revenue of $5.3 million in the same year contributed significantly to the athletic department's overall finances.
The disparities in funding and expenses between the men's and women's teams at Duke University are evident. The men's teams receive more funding, better gear, and more modern facilities. For example, the men's basketball team receives two to three new pairs of shoes every two weeks, while the women's team receives a new pair once a month at most. The men's locker room is also more luxurious, featuring massage chairs that are not available in the women's locker room.
Despite these inequities, the Duke Women's Basketball team has managed to become the third-highest revenue-making team, outperforming all other women's teams at Duke. Their success highlights the potential for greater achievements with more equitable funding and support. It is important to note that these inequities are not unique to Duke University, as similar disparities exist at other colleges and universities across the nation.
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Duke's football team travels by chartered bus
While there is no clear information on whether the Duke basketball team flies private, it is evident that Duke University's sports teams experience inequalities in terms of facilities, merchandise, and transportation. The men's basketball team appears to be favoured, receiving more shoes and clothing merchandise than the women's team. They also fly charter planes more frequently than the women's team, who often travel by bus.
In contrast, the Duke football team primarily travels by chartered bus to away and neutral-site games. However, one player mentioned flying private to at least two games during their Duke football career.
The football team has also expressed dissatisfaction with their locker room facilities, describing them as old-fashioned compared to other schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). They also mentioned a lack of access to their practice facilities at all times.
The disparities in transportation methods between Duke's sports teams contribute to the overall inequities in amenities and resources allocated to each team.
Although private flights offer convenience and time efficiency for university staff and sports teams, they can be costly. Some universities defend these expenses as necessary for attracting athletes, fundraising, and rewarding coaches. However, critics argue that such spending is a luxury that burdens students and taxpayers.
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Other universities also use private planes
Duke University is not the only university that uses private planes for its basketball team. Many other universities in the United States also use private planes for similar purposes. For example, the University of Kansas owns a Cessna Citation CJ4, which is primarily used by the basketball program and other administrators. The University of Kansas chancellor and two staff members were flown to the NCAA basketball tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, for $10,000.
Penn State University operates two aircraft: a Cessna Citation 525A business jet and a Beechcraft King Air 200B turboprop plane. These planes are used for alumni outreach, fundraising, and recruitment trips by the president and football head coach.
Ohio State University leases one plane and partly owns another. The football coach, Urban Meyer, and his family took 11 personal trips last year, including a vacation in Florida.
The University of Minnesota spent $2.9 million on charter flights last year, and the University of Tennessee spent about $700,000. The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) also charters flights for sports teams but not for recruiting or executive travel.
UNC (University of North Carolina) also uses private planes for athletics purposes. UNC Air has four planes and four pilots, and football coach Mack Brown and former women's basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell were among the most frequent flyers.
These universities defend the costs of private planes, stating that coaches and administrators need to travel frequently, and commercial airlines may not meet their needs. Private planes offer unmatched flexibility, efficiency, privacy, security, and comfort. They are also used to attract athletes, raise money, and reward coaches.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Duke University basketball team flies charter planes to most of their games.
The Duke women's basketball team does fly private, but not as frequently as the men's team. They often travel to games by bus.
Universities often charter private flights to attract athletes, raise money, and reward coaches. Some schools also use private planes for athletic recruiting and to shuttle administrators.
Yes, many universities in the U.S. are increasingly using private planes for their sports teams. For example, the University of Kansas, the University of Tennessee, and Ohio State University.
It is unclear whether Duke University owns a private plane. However, they do charter flights for their sports teams, and they are one of the highest-earning athletic programs in the country.
