I am eager to see if anything changes in the next few weeks.
Saving all 11 almost feels like too much. Saving them all ignores many trends in D1 sports that are just not favorable long-term for Stanford and the Pac-12.
The disparity between the Pac-12 and the SEC/BigTen TV revenue makes it hard to keep up with the Joneses on everything.
The near certainty that either the next TV contract, or the contract after that one, will not be as lucrative has to be a factor.
The potential for fan/alum dollars to be sent directly to athletes or for the semi-pro state of D1 to sour donations will also hurt.
And then on top of all of that the potential that Stanford, like Harvard and a few others, will have sub 4% acceptance rates meaning carving out spots, even if they pay full freight, for the athletes in 36 sports may be just too tough politically in a place with an academically oriented mission statement.
As I look at the list it is men's volleyball I wish Stanford would save because that sport is so much stronger on the west coast than the others. MVB uses facilities that other sports already need, so that should be a positive. For the Title IX offset I understand synch swim is very successful, but the limited number of participating schools is troubling. If the save MVB group is serious, I can only hope they find the funds to also save at least one women's sport too.
All of that noted, I have attended men's volleyball events. The great appeal for my kids was that when they were young they could run all over Maples. They also thought it was fun to enjoy snacks and toys in multiple loge level seats. And it was all possible because literally no one was in the stands for a lot of the contests.
So my fondness for men's volleyball probably hints at the problem for the squad, I fear.
Saving all 11 almost feels like too much. Saving them all ignores many trends in D1 sports that are just not favorable long-term for Stanford and the Pac-12.
The disparity between the Pac-12 and the SEC/BigTen TV revenue makes it hard to keep up with the Joneses on everything.
The near certainty that either the next TV contract, or the contract after that one, will not be as lucrative has to be a factor.
The potential for fan/alum dollars to be sent directly to athletes or for the semi-pro state of D1 to sour donations will also hurt.
And then on top of all of that the potential that Stanford, like Harvard and a few others, will have sub 4% acceptance rates meaning carving out spots, even if they pay full freight, for the athletes in 36 sports may be just too tough politically in a place with an academically oriented mission statement.
As I look at the list it is men's volleyball I wish Stanford would save because that sport is so much stronger on the west coast than the others. MVB uses facilities that other sports already need, so that should be a positive. For the Title IX offset I understand synch swim is very successful, but the limited number of participating schools is troubling. If the save MVB group is serious, I can only hope they find the funds to also save at least one women's sport too.
All of that noted, I have attended men's volleyball events. The great appeal for my kids was that when they were young they could run all over Maples. They also thought it was fun to enjoy snacks and toys in multiple loge level seats. And it was all possible because literally no one was in the stands for a lot of the contests.
So my fondness for men's volleyball probably hints at the problem for the squad, I fear.