Tough Call Ahead For Maryland President Loh
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By DERON SNYDER
Members of Maryland’s commission on intercollegiate athletics faced an unenviable task when president Wallace D. Loh brought them together four months ago. They were asked to review the athletic department’s finances and operations and then recommend measures to increase revenues and decrease costs.
But we all knew where this was heading. It’s as if Loh was the patriarch of a family that had grown too large and too costly, and he wanted other relatives to suggest which kids should stay and which should go.
Maryland has 27 “kids,” (i.e. teams) in its athletic department. There’s no way the school can keep all of them without going broke, as it faces a $4 million deficit this fiscal year and more than $17 million by 2017. So regardless of other suggested remedies for fundraising and lowering spending, the committee was destined to recommend the elimination of some sports.
It’s a painful conclusion for those who are affected and those who hate the idea of losing sports — even sports they never follow or support. It forces us to put each sport on a scale and see how it measures up, though each has intrinsic value that makes it the equal of any other.
Women’s acrobatics and tumbling provides as much satisfaction for its participants and fans as football generates for its participants and fans (maybe more this year).
But only six Division I programs have acrobatics and tumbling teams compared to about 250 that have football teams. Throw in the fact that football is a so-called “revenue” sport (though not at Maryland) and, well … the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association likely will be down to five members next year.
