For better or worse, college sports are a big, big deal. 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. Consequently, schools have ample motivation to make their athletic departments as successful as possible. And whether it's ticketing, broadcasting, signage, or coaching, IT's involvement is growing as technology becomes integral to college athletics. At schools where intercollegiate sports are mega-business, most athletic departments field their own IT operations. At the other end of the spectrum, however, are scores of small- and middle-sized schools that must rely on central IT for support. For IT departments, it's not always an easy relationship to manage. Athletic departments tend to have their own culture, their own needs, and often their own tech tools. For CIOs and IT managers, the secret--as with every other department on campus--is to focus on the client's needs first. This article presents Campus Technology's top five picks for where IT and athletic departments can team up to make their sports programs a success--both on and off the field: (1) cost savings; (2) smart outsourcing; (3) network infrastructure; (4) broadcasting; and (5) niche services.