How college football became a financial engine for Olympic training

NPR | By Wailin Wong,

Adrian Ma

Published February 13, 2026 at 2:47 AM MST

College football has become the uniquely American engine that pays for the training of future US Olympians. The Indicator's Wailin Wong and Adrian Ma go back in time to the Cold War to explain why.

Tags

Morning Edition

Wailin Wong

Wailin Wong is a co-host of The Indicator from Planet Money.

Adrian Ma

Adrian Ma covers work, money and other "business-ish" for The Indicator from Planet Money, the daily economics podcast from NPR.

The Latest From Boise State Public Radio

Support Boise State Public Radio today.

Sheep Stories

The second season of Sheep Stories takes you deep into the archives to uncover the stories behind Idaho’s enduring sheep-ranching tradition. Listen, learn, and follow the trail into the stories that continue to shape sheep ranching in Idaho.

Listen Here

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.

Donate