Great Place to Play™ is the independent certification authority that verifies athlete experience, development quality, and program culture — giving recruits, transfers, and partners the signal they need to make confident decisions.
Three certification tiers based solely on verified athlete survey data, longitudinal tracking, and independent audit findings. No pay-to-play. No bias.
The GPTP Trust Index™ synthesizes athlete-reported experience across eight independently weighted dimensions. No single metric can game the system.
Every stakeholder in college athletics has something to lose. Certification converts existential anxiety into platform dependency — and platform value into compounding dominance.
External auditors rotate every 3 years to prevent capture. Auditor relationships are publicly disclosed. No auditor can certify a program they've personally consulted.
Programs cannot buy certification with facility upgrades alone. Coach trust carries 22% weight and cannot be compensated by other dimensions. Single-metric gaming is architecturally blocked.
Title IX violations, coaching misconduct findings, athlete suicides, and substantiated abuse allegations automatically trigger expedited recertification review within 48 hours.
1–2% of certification revenue funds legal defense for athletes who report violations. Anonymous reporting channel with retaliation safeguards, routed to independent arbitration.
Methodology developed and peer-reviewed in collaboration with top sports management programs. Published openly. Independent academic validation prevents capture by athletic department interests.
No active coaches, athletic directors, or NCAA employees in governing roles. Board composed of athlete advocates, legal scholars, public health experts, and former athletes.
Minimum participation required: 70% of eligible athletes must complete the survey for scores to be valid. Programs below threshold receive "Incomplete Data" status, not certification.
Scarcity maintenance: Certification is limited to the top 35–40% of programs by score within each division tier. Being "Certified" means something because most programs are not.
Three phases of deliberate category creation — from proof-of-concept to de facto NCAA compliance standard and eventual IPO or strategic acquisition at $500M–$2B valuation.
We're accepting 15 flagship programs across power conferences for our inaugural certification cohort. Pilot partners receive locked-in pricing, co-development influence, and first-mover certification advantage.
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms. Your information is never shared with other programs or competitors. Confidential.
Thank you for your interest in Great Place to Play™ Pilot Certification.
Our team will review your application and respond within 48 business hours to schedule your discovery call.
In the meantime, you'll receive a copy of our methodology white paper at the email provided.