Is it time to rethink the sports we offer ?

[T-Dog]

We’re 49-166 in Sun Belt conference play since we joined. It’s been better in 2021-2022 but that is putrid.

Baseball was putrid in the Sun Belt for a while, even in the first 2ish years or Kermit, and we had MLB-level talent on the team.

[311neers]

We’re 49-166 in Sun Belt conference play since we joined. It’s been better in 2021-2022 but that is putrid.

Baseball was putrid in the Sun Belt for a while, even in the first 2ish years or Kermit, and we had MLB-level talent on the team.

Correct, stated above a few posts ago. We were heading down a bad path if we didn’t make a switch.

[311neers]

IF funds were to be reinvested in other programs baseball might be one to look at closely. We play in a marquee conference and there is a ton of interest in college baseball. Not sure how additional funds would really make a difference but in my opinion we aren't very far off from becoming a program that could actually contend for post season play.

Yup, the fact that the SBC could get 4-5 teams (25-30% chance) each year in postseason play is a reason alone to pump some money that way. I’ve heard some whispers about stadium improvements for baseball coming but not sure if it holds any weight.

[bcoach]

Just some budgeting numbers to aid the conversation. We don't really make money on paper with sports. Football breaks even or loses a bit.


https://knightnewhousedata.org/fbs/sunb ... university


https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges ... 20expenses.

But wait! For years all I have heard is football pays for all the other sports. Also the players are making millions for the schools so we have to pay them more than all the money we have been paying them for years and years. The cracks are showing in the glass house.

[Stonewall]

Good comments…

[T-Dog]

I'm of the thought process that sponsoring NCAA varsity sports shouldn't be solely focused on making money. Other schools, including those who could afford non-revenue-gaining sports, have made cuts using the revenue excuse. Athletic scholarships are publicity and opportunities for students who maybe wouldn't have had that chance otherwise, or never would have heard of App State, or couldn't afford it. These sports serve a purpose other than making money.

I fully believe that App cutting men's soccer, men's tennis and men's indoor track and field had zero to do with saving money. In my opinion, it was to maintain compliance with Title IX while pushing to fully fund more sports. Plus, all those sports had a women's sport counterpart, so facilities weren't going to be wasted. Baseball now has its full scholarship allotment. Wrestling scholarships have increased. The pandemic was the perfect cover to cut those sports. Again, my opinion.

Currently 15 of App's 17 sports compete in the Sun Belt, and after cutting three sports that competed in our home conference, it would be unwise to cut anymore barring any calamitous budget crunches. The league looked at sponsoring field hockey this past year, but decided against it. Wrestling is the other one. Both teams won a conference title this past season and have their own facilities that alums have poured money into. Wrestling's adding a new videoboard and seats in varsity for next season.

The only sport I can see App potentially adding in the near future is beach volleyball. The Sun Belt sponsors it, there's regional opponents, you can build a facility, indoor and/or outdoor, for not a large sum of money or use much space, and the maximum scholarship limit is six.

Personally, I'd love for App to have Men's and Women's Ice Hockey and bring Men's Soccer back and more. The more the merrier. Maybe one day. And I don't want to cut anymore sports, even sports that are geographically disadvantaged like golf.

[Tru2ASU]

IF funds were to be reinvested in other programs baseball might be one to look at closely. We play in a marquee conference and there is a ton of interest in college baseball. Not sure how additional funds would really make a difference but in my opinion we aren't very far off from becoming a program that could actually contend for post season play.

Yup, the fact that the SBC could get 4-5 teams (25-30% chance) each year in postseason play is a reason alone to pump some money that way. I’ve heard some whispers about stadium improvements for baseball coming but not sure if it holds any weight.

Holds weight.

[asu2000]

Something to ponder as the year winds down. We have X amount of money and no Sugar Daddy on the horizon. Beach volleyball? Drop golf? Swap men’s golf for tennis ? I mention golf where we don’t have a facility and for whatever reasons haven’t had much success , as an example . Again to be real , within current resources and keeping the NCAA minimum of 14 teams.

Yes - Bring Back Mens Soccer, Bring Back Men's soccer - that is and was dumb decision. Drop Tennis and golf, sorry but we are not in the right geographic region to be good at those sports, time to streamline what we offer and what is working / worth competing in. Everything is more expensive, College enrollments are going to start a downward trend over the next few years, we need to find the best mix of sports that create exposure for the university, Alumni, etc - we need more donors and a really solid Athletic budget for the sports that have the best reach overall. No offense to those programs (coaches and students) - but there comes a time to reorganize every so often and now is a good time, inflation is up, has been, so donations will be hurt and on an on. Get ahead of the curve now, we are actually behind the curve in my opinion.

[AppSt94]

Soccer costs quite a bit more to field than golf and tennis. I’m not arguing that it shouldn’t come back, but at the expense of golf and tennis isn’t a trade off.

[Stonewall]

And you have the Title IX issue if you eliminate a women’s team. Another point , perhaps, I can see students attending beach volleyball games in greater numbers than golf matches. Maybe I’m wrong…..

[AppStFan1]

I'm of the thought process that sponsoring NCAA varsity sports shouldn't be solely focused on making money. Other schools, including those who could afford non-revenue-gaining sports, have made cuts using the revenue excuse. Athletic scholarships are publicity and opportunities for students who maybe wouldn't have had that chance otherwise, or never would have heard of App State, or couldn't afford it. These sports serve a purpose other than making money.

I fully believe that App cutting men's soccer, men's tennis and men's indoor track and field had zero to do with saving money. In my opinion, it was to maintain compliance with Title IX while pushing to fully fund more sports. Plus, all those sports had a women's sport counterpart, so facilities weren't going to be wasted. Baseball now has its full scholarship allotment. Wrestling scholarships have increased. The pandemic was the perfect cover to cut those sports. Again, my opinion.

Currently 15 of App's 17 sports compete in the Sun Belt, and after cutting three sports that competed in our home conference, it would be unwise to cut anymore barring any calamitous budget crunches. The league looked at sponsoring field hockey this past year, but decided against it. Wrestling is the other one. Both teams won a conference title this past season and have their own facilities that alums have poured money into. Wrestling's adding a new videoboard and seats in varsity for next season.

The only sport I can see App potentially adding in the near future is beach volleyball. The Sun Belt sponsors it, there's regional opponents, you can build a facility, indoor and/or outdoor, for not a large sum of money or use much space, and the maximum scholarship limit is six.

Personally, I'd love for App to have Men's and Women's Ice Hockey and bring Men's Soccer back and more. The more the merrier. Maybe one day. And I don't want to cut anymore sports, even sports that are geographically disadvantaged like golf.

I agree with why we likely dropped those sports and used the pandemic as cover. I don't see how we can add more sports because we keep hearing how we are low on money now. I am sure we would have to pull funding from football, basketball, etc to fund those others and I don't want to do that. Where would the money come from?

[appdaze]

If you have to prop up your program with 13.9 million in student taxes I think a reevaluation is necessary. We are in he upper end for sunbelt with multiple peers being in single digits and a couple wayyy up there. Imagine what could be done for academics with 10 of that 14 million......but I know priorities are different these days.

[appfanjj]

Just a thought and a question. Not advocating that we drop any programs.
If some programs were actually cut other than football, M & W basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and wrestling (and the minimum number of programs was met while still maintaining title 9 numbers) would anyone really notice?
Other than the ones who play.

[bcoach]

Just a thought and a question. Not advocating that we drop any programs.
If some programs were actually cut other than football, M & W basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and wrestling (and the minimum number of programs was met while still maintaining title 9 numbers) would anyone really notice?
Other than the ones who play.

That would depend on who you asked. For example I would never notice if we cut cross country or wrestling.

[BambooRdApp]

Just a thought and a question. Not advocating that we drop any programs.
If some programs were actually cut other than football, M & W basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and wrestling (and the minimum number of programs was met while still maintaining title 9 numbers) would anyone really notice?
Other than the ones who play.

I would miss the golf apparel they came out with this year

[ASUFan4863]

Just a thought and a question. Not advocating that we drop any programs.
If some programs were actually cut other than football, M & W basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and wrestling (and the minimum number of programs was met while still maintaining title 9 numbers) would anyone really notice?
Other than the ones who play.

That would depend on who you asked. For example I would never notice if we cut cross country or wrestling.

You should probably pay more attention to the programs that are winning championships lol. I get what you are saying though. Those two just might not have been the best examples.

[bcoach]

Just a thought and a question. Not advocating that we drop any programs.
If some programs were actually cut other than football, M & W basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and wrestling (and the minimum number of programs was met while still maintaining title 9 numbers) would anyone really notice?
Other than the ones who play.

That would depend on who you asked. For example I would never notice if we cut cross country or wrestling.

You should probably pay more attention to the programs that are winning championships lol. I get what you are saying though. Those two just might not have been the best examples.

The question was would you notice and not who is winning championships. The fact that they are winning championships and people would not notice is actually kind of telling.

[spacemonkey]

I am going to go back to golf because Stonewall is speaking golf often on this thread. It would not kill us if we gave up golf but raising money for golf in the area App is located should be easy. You could literally get each country club in the area to sponsor a golf scholarship. I bet each course would offer the use of their course and practice facilities for free and they would pile money in. I am just guessing on this but I would be very surprised if I were wrong. Also as far as exposure...CBS and the golf channel routinely put the pga leader board up with the school they attended. I hope one day to see a former App player on that board.

[T-Dog]

The question was would you notice and not who is winning championships. The fact that they are winning championships and people would not notice is actually kind of telling.

Wrestling adds more seats every year and has grown attendance after going to ticketed entry with rising prices. People would notice even if you don't care.

[AppSt94]

Just a thought and a question. Not advocating that we drop any programs.
If some programs were actually cut other than football, M & W basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, and wrestling (and the minimum number of programs was met while still maintaining title 9 numbers) would anyone really notice?
Other than the ones who play.

That would depend on who you asked. For example I would never notice if we cut cross country or wrestling.

You should probably pay more attention to the programs that are winning championships lol. I get what you are saying though. Those two just might not have been the best examples.

The question was would you notice and not who is winning championships. The fact that they are winning championships and people would not notice is actually kind of telling.

Based on the large disparity between the alumni base and donor base for YC, I would say a great many wouldn’t care if we dropped sports all together.