ABSTRACT
The glorification of professional athletes and professional sports in the United States appears to have a powerful effect on American youth, often creating unrealistic expectations about their chances of signing a professional sports contract. African American males are more likely to have African American professional athletes as role models than their white counterparts. Despite the odds against it, members of the lower or working class are more likely to view sport as a vehicle for social and economic mobility. A review of the literature failed to identify an instrument that met the specific needs of this particular investigation; therefore, an instrument was developed to address the questions of interest. Just as the pervasiveness of professional sports cannot be denied, its impact on American youth and the intercollegiate athletes cannot be ignored. The lure of professional sports can have serious consequences for contemporary student athletes who tend to put "all of their eggs into one basket".
