Less is More for High Point

While watching the early rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, there was a decent amount of commentary about how High Point University is investing in its athletic programs. I think the truth is High Point is creating the strategy that will be the template for mid-major schools going forward, and the impact could be substantial.

On the surface, it looks a lot like most other D1 schools. They launched their NIL Collective in 2024, describing it as “vital” to retaining and recruiting top athletes. Where High Point becomes very different from other D1 schools is how they approach education. High Point was financially secure before the NIL era. Their university endowment was well over $100 million, and their tuition + fees were among the higher tiers for private regional schools. Since the mid-2000s, it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into campus infrastructure, along with a $170 million basketball arena and conference center that opened in 2020. High Point focuses on outcomes, branding, and student life as the primary value proposition to potential students.

The results are easy to quantify. Look at the transfers it’s brought in. They added players from Arizona, Xavier, Virginia Tech, Houston, and UConn. I’m sure there was substantial NIL compensation for these players. There is no clear number on what High Points NIL budget is, but we can be confident to assume it’s a lot less than powerhouse basketball schools like Arizona, UConn and Houston.

The biggest difference for High Point is the structure of its athletic department. No football. They focus on basketball and lacrosse, along with baseball, soccer, golf, and other second-tier sports for men and women. No football means no massive roster to fund, no need for NIL money to spread across that massive roster. When you take an outcome-driven approach, you look for areas where you can be the most competitive and invest there first.

Both the men’s and women’s lacrosse programs are fully funded and competitive in the Big South. Basketball is the headline revenue-driving sport. Combine that with top-tier facilities, great coaches, and plenty of playing time, you can see why High Point is not going away anytime soon.

When schools like High Point evaluate athletes now, they are not just asking if you can help them win. Sure, that’s the primary objective. But they know that to sustain a program, they need more than just talent. Schools are looking at athletes as investments. And it’s not just the school. Coaches, donors, collectives, and businesses who are funding these programs evaluate both talent and potential for return on investment.

This is why student-athletes should be looking at the High Point model as what the future will look like for the majority of athletic programs. At schools without football programs draining the NIL coffers, they want athletes who can fill the limelight the same way D1 QBs do. Your personality is suddenly just as important as your stat line.

In a sport like soccer, your connection to the soccer community rises to the top. Soccer programs live inside the local ecosystems: Club teams, youth leagues run by families and parents. Your ability to connect and serve as an ambassador is valuable to the program, and that increases your value to the school.

Lacrosse might be the clearest example of all. It’s a smaller sport, but it’s tightly connected. The audience is smaller, but it is engaged and willing to spend. If you have a presence in that space and people recognize your name, or younger players follow you, you are not just filling a roster spot you are building a pipeline for the future.

The best part is, the bar is not that high. You don’t need a massive following or viral videos. You simply need to show there is a foundation to build on. You’re not in the business of building a million followers. It’s having a clear connection with your communities.

Schools like High Point are looking to spend money in the right places. They are identifying players who can give them quality minutes, along with connecting them with success in the future. They are looking to invest in athletes beyond the box score.

Esports

Esports fit perfectly into the High Point strategy. Take a minute to think about it. Controlled and manageable rosters, built-in audiences who don’t need giant stadiums, and athletes who already understand content, engagement, and digital presence.

Let’s focus on that last part. Most top Esports athletes stream and interact with their followers while performing at a high level. They add value not just from their skills, but from the people they bring with them. This is the exact type of value schools are looking for.

Athletes in more traditional sports tend to build their brand as an afterthought to the skill. In Esports, they build a brand from day one. When they come to a school, they are bringing a fully developed, engaged set of followers who will now be open to support its Esport program out of loyalty to the athlete. This is a win-win. It is a perfect example of what the future looks like for college sports.