Which of the following is a common component of an athletic department budget?

• A. Salaries/stipends
• B. Scholarships
• C. Medical services and compliance costs
• D. Entertainment and promotional spending not directly tied to program operations

Answer: (C)

Maintaining safety and staying within rules drive athletic department budgets. Medical services cover athletic training staff, sports medicine, rehab, and related insurance—needs that are essential because injuries happen and athletes must have proper medical oversight. Compliance costs cover the personnel, systems, and activities that ensure the program adheres to NCAA, conference, and institutional requirements, including eligibility monitoring, education for coaches and athletes, audits, and compliance software. These costs are ongoing, predictable, and non-negotiable for proper operation, so they appear as standard components across most athletic budgets. While salaries/stipends and scholarships are indeed part of many budgets, and entertainment spending may occur in some contexts, they are not as universally essential or tightly constrained by governing bodies as medical and compliance costs.