InvestigateTV+ Weekend: Billion Dollar Blitz

(InvestigateTV) — Fans pack the stands and coaches cash in. Chris Nakamoto found an increasing part of the bill is landing on students and universities.

Plus, accountability disappears online when a company vanishes the second something goes wrong.

Billion Dollar Blitz

Here’s a number that might make your jaw drop: $12.8 billion. That’s what 109 public universities are spending on college athletics, and each year it’s taking a bigger bite out of public universities’ coffers and students’ pockets.

At the same time, football coaches’ salaries are skyrocketing, and it’s not just head coaches. Our team looked at contracts across America and found 31 assistant coaches are making more than $1 million.

National Investigative Reporter Chris Nakamoto went to Auburn, where fans reacted to one fired coach after another walk out the door. A sports economist with decades of experience said this system is not sustainable.

Meanwhile, Congress is looking to pump the brakes on this runaway spending - particularly in football.

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Sports fan questions merchandise

When your team wins big, it’s natural to want to celebrate – maybe even grab some gear to mark the moment. But online shoppers are finding out that not every website selling that gear is what it claims to be – especially the moment a popular product sells out everywhere else.

One Michigan fan found that out after trying to buy his team’s championship gear online.

Reporter Tammy Elliott shows us what showed up at his door – and why getting his money back wasn’t easy.

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Injuries take mental toll on athletes

For athletes, an injury doesn’t just sideline the body – it can take a toll on the mind, too. Doctors say stress, fear and even depression are common during recovery – but often go unspoken in a sport built on toughness.

At Clemson, football players and sports psychologists are opening up about what really happens when an athlete can’t play. Reporter Kari Beal in South Carolina takes us inside their journey back – mentally and physically.

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Lunch options for your student

Sending kids to school with lunch means thinking about the budget, too. The average packed lunch now runs about $6 a day, according to Deloitte.

But Susan Campbell found families have more options than they might think – whether they’re packing or buying. She breaks down the real numbers, and some ways to bring that cost down.

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