Not on the right rung for me? How status inconsistency leads to avoidance of status-threatening ties in NCAA

Abstract

This study examines the impact of status inconsistency on status-threatening activities within NCAA Division I men’s basketball teams. Specifically, we focus on a nested form of status that includes both individual and group-level elements. We argue that organizations dealing with status inconsistency stemming from such nested form face challenges in reducing status inconsistency. To maintain their deserved status, these status-inconsistent organizations tend to avoid activities that could further threaten their status, despite potential economic gains. An analysis of NCAA Division I men’s basketball scheduling data from 2000 to 2019 provides robust support to our theoretical arguments. Our findings suggest that the status inconsistency between a team’s status and its conference status diminished the likelihood of scheduling games with non-Division I teams, a behavior considered counter-normative in this context. This effect is most prominent among teams in “Mid Major” conferences, while teams with recent participation in the NCAA Tournament show a mitigated effect.