This study examined the role of high-profile intercollegiate athletic programs, such as men's football and basketball, in institutional identity. Site visits were conducted at 11 universities in the United States with nationally recognized intercollegiate athletic programs, and a total of 177 formal interviews were conducted with administrators, faculty, and students. An equivalent number of informal interviews were also conducted with faculty, students, and lower-level staff. An analysis of the interview data found that a high-profile college sports program is perceived by external constituents to be something distinctive, central, and enduring about the institution, as well as something that is viewed favorably by others. Both outcomes enhance institutional identification, causing people to: (1) be drawn to the campus, both literally and figuratively; (2) come to know something about the institution, often something positive; and (3) think of the institution in conjunction with the universities against whom the athletics teams commonly compete. (Contains 97 references.) (MDM)