Some colleges and universities seeking to shore up funds have decided to slash athletic teams and eliminate athletic scholarships. Among the casualties are Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, which is cutting its men’s soccer and men’s swimming teams; the University of Washington’s swimming teams; and the University of Maine’s men’s soccer and women’s volleyball programs, The New York Times reported, noting that axed teams are unlikely to return.
Meanwhile, some wealthy football and basketball programs are using revenue from televised sporting events to subsidize their institutions. The budget crisis is also raising concerns that the gulf will widen between schools with television deals and schools that rely on alumni for funding.
“One of the things we have to worry about is competitive equity,” Myles Brand, the NCAA president, told the Times. “If some schools have too small a budget, it could affect their play, and that isn’t fair.”
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