University of California eliminates baseball, 4 other varsity sports

[marmar]

from the San Francisco Chronicle:



Rugby and baseball are among five varsity sports teams to be eliminated by Cal as part of moves that will save the financially-strapped athletic department $4 million as well as enable the school to remain in compliance with federal Title IX laws requiring gender equity.

Of all the moves, the elimination of baseball might be most remarkable, given the sport's status as a fixture at most of the country's major universities.

In a 2:30 p.m. news conference today on the Berkeley campus, Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and athletic director Sandy Barbour will jointly announce that men's and women's gymnastics and lacrosse (women) will also be cut, leaving Cal with 22 varsity sports.

All told, 163 of the university's 814 intercollegiate student-athletes will be impacted by today's decision. As well, 13 full-time coaches will be out of jobs.

"Clearly, this is a painful outcome after months of deliberation, analysis and the examination of every viable alternative," Barbour said in a statement released by the university. "I deeply regret the impact this will have on so many valued members of our community." ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/28/SPP31FL0IP.DTL#ixzz10r9xXx4n

[Sherman A1]

1. Interesting

[SoCalDem]

2. 22 varsity sports should be plenty

I feel sorry for the coaches who will lose their jobs, but Universities need to concentrate on academics, now more than ever, and frankly, I would rather see a kid get an academic scholarship instead of a lacrosse scholarship. And the money spent on these "fringe" sports might be better directed elsewhere.

[Johonny]

3. don't think it will work out that way

Sports are a mixed bag. They bring money into the school, but most of the money is generally spent on the sports department. While some sports allow students time to be student athletes. The top $$ sports tend to force kids into bad majors that are more time friendly and even then they don't graduate before the money runs out. They seem to be cutting the sports with better graduation rates for the sports in which the "kids" end up with no degree after their scholarship is done. I think it would be great if elimination of sports created more academic scholarships, but this isn't the case. This is cutting expensive sports to allow more money generated on the "BIG" sports to be poured back into those sports programs. The net result will be likely less scholarship opportunities :(

[wtmusic]

4. Baseball is a fringe sport?

Them's fightin' words. :)

My son is a HS junior and plays baseball - many UC colleges on his short list. I know he will be disappointed.

[Supersedeas]

5. is fringe equivalent to non-profit....

[SoCalDem]

6. I know that many kids go to college on an athletic scholarship,

but only a minuscule number of them will ever actually "work" in that field as a career.

Athletes often spend a disproportionate amount of time/energy on their sport (to KEEP that scholarship), and then an injury ends their "dream" and they are unprepared to do much.

I'd like to see the NCAA disbanded, and the sports team players get PAID for the "entertainment" they provide. If someone wants to play ball , then let them play, but stop pretending that it's part of their education.

MOST of the athletes I knew in college, ONLY cared about their sport, because every one of them just :"knew" they would become a pro-athlete.. Only ONE did.. John Riggins ( a total jerk)

[wtmusic]

7. That makes a lot of sense, SCD.

Of course it will never happen, college athletics is more popular than it ever has been. And colleges actually raise a lot of money from alumni because of sports.

I dunno, I can enjoy a baseball game but don't couldn't care less about the sport the moment I leave the park. :shrug: