PUTTING THE I . T . IN TEAM Here are CT ’s 5 top picks for how IT shops can help athletic departments increase their visibility, improve efficiency, and develop more winners. By Barbara Ravage QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY’S IT department collaborated with Athletics in the development of the school’s TD Bank Sports Center. Courtesy of Quinnipiac University COL L EGE SPORTS FOR BETTER OR WORSE, college sports are a big, big deal. To get a sense of the money involved, consider this: In 2011, Forbes magazine ranked the University of Texas Longhorns football team as the most valuable in the country, worth $ 129 million. But the value of sports on campus goes far beyond gate receipts, sponsorships, and TV revenues. Regardless of the size of a school, sports are a key element in spurring alumni giving and involvement; they play a major factor in helping prospective students select a college; and they help unite the campus community in common cause. .. CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY | September 2012 23