NCAA $$$ Pandemic Fallout

[ArmyVet]

Brown announced that it is dropping 11 sports, but specifically noted that it was not because of Covid-19.

While this feels like a big deal, who knew that Brown sponsored 38 varsity sports?

PROVIDENCE — Brown University will eliminate 11 varsity sports ahead of the 2020-21 academic year.

Men’s and women’s fencing, men’s and women’s golf, women’s skiing, men’s and women’s squash, women’s equestrian, men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field and men’s cross country will all transition to club status. Women’s sailing and coed sailing will transition from club to varsity status.

The cuts were announced Thursday in a release outlining the Excellence in Brown Athletics Initiative. Brown’s president, Christina H. Paxson, and athletic director Jack Hayes said the decision was a result of an external review conducted during the 2018-19 academic year.

“I know it will be difficult for many in our community to see some of their favorite teams transition to club status,” Paxson said in a statement. “But I also expect there will be true excitement for the heightened opportunities for competitive play that all the elements of this initiative will bring to our student-athletes.”

Brown sponsored 38 varsity teams during the 2019-20 academic year, involving almost 900 students. The Bears had accounted for just 2.8% of Ivy League championships in the decade prior to the 2017-18 academic year, prompting the review. Brown said it would maintain its current operational budget.

[paulxu]

I must lead a sheltered life.
I've never head of co-ed sailing.

We had some co-ed sports, but they weren't sponsored by the school.

[FenwayFriar]

There were 46 layoffs of The Athletic writers today. Among them, two covered Big East teams: Shannon Russell (@slrussell) who covered Xavier, and Dustin Dopirak (@dustindopirak) who covered Butler, Indiana, and Purdue. Unfortunate that The Athletic will be losing coverage of two BE teams. Not sure if they even have a writer covering any of the other 9 teams. https://twitter.com/7he1stYous/status/1268974433273774081

[Husky_U]

There were 46 layoffs of The Athletic writers today. Among them, two covered Big East teams: Shannon Russell (@slrussell) who covered Xavier, and Dustin Dopirak (@dustindopirak) who covered Butler, Indiana, and Purdue. Unfortunate that The Athletic will be losing coverage of two BE teams. Not sure if they even have a writer covering any of the other 9 teams. https://twitter.com/7he1stYous/status/1268974433273774081

Charlotte Carroll covers UCONN MBB/WBB.

[ArmyVet]

The Athletic did some really great stuff, but it sounds like they were employing lots of writers with six figure salaries. Not the 46 laid off necessarily, but some highly paid staff and obviously not enough revenue to support it.

[Omaha1]

Boise State announces it’s eliminating baseball & swimming and diving programs.