Sports Reading: Hot Dog Money

by Kent Koen

Hot Dog Money: Inside the Biggest Scandal in the History of College Sports by Guy Lawson

If you’ve ever wondered just how deep the mantra “follow the money” runs in sports, Hot Dog Money by Guy Lawson is a must-read. Lawson’s book dives into the real-life story of Marty Blazer, a financial advisor who, after getting caught mismanaging his NFL clients’ money, became an undercover FBI informant. What he uncovered was a world of bribes, secret deals, and exploitation, all happening behind the scenes at some of college basketball’s biggest programs.

As someone who has followed sports my whole life, and who worked in college athletics for a brief time early in my career, I thought I understood some of the NCAA’s issues, but this book takes it to another level. Lawson’s storytelling makes you feel like you’re right there with Blazer - navigating meetings in Vegas, secretly recording conversations with coaches, and unraveling a system built on big money and broken promises to young athletes.

The book reads like a true-crime thriller, exposing how powerful figures in college sports operated in the shadows. But what makes Hot Dog Money especially compelling to me is how it forces us to ask tough questions: Who really profits from college athletics? What do some coaches feel they have to do for their programs to remain competitive? And are we, as fans, complicit in the system?

If you love sports, business scandals, or just a gripping real-life story, this book is well worth your time.