So You Want to Cut a Program

Greetings. We here at Bloodround Industries thought it was well past due to put together a step by step manual for Athletic Departments interested in cutting one or more programs.

First of all, don’t be scared by that program’s success. Old Dominion hadn’t produced any All-American’s in sports other than Sailing (not technically an NCAA sport) and Wrestling, and that didn’t stop them from dropping Wrestling. Fresno State had great attendance and success in bringing back their Wrestling program so please don’t worry in going ahead and dropping a sport. Hell, Trev Alberts, the Athletic Director of Nebraska-Omaha, called coach Mike Denney the very night they won their 6th of last 8 NCAA D2 National Championships to tell him his program was cut. You can do this.

Secondly, do not give any fair warning programs are in jeopardy. Think of it this way, if you are running a town’s little league and were short on funds, you would never alert the community for business sponsorships and personal donations to make up the balance. Just fold the little league and move on. It’s not your problem. This is just common sense. It’s not like you run a department at a university where people are told some of the greatest business, economic, and mathematic minds reside and their children should come and learn this wisdom at an expensive price.

What if the program doesn’t cost you anything? This is an important question, because some strong mental gymnastics will be required to overcome this objection. This is a tough one, but media is on your side if you say budget cuts are for academic purposes. Stanford Wrestling has raised enough money that any half-intelligent person could fund their program in perpetuity. Notre Dame had a donor fund a trust for Wrestling so they had to wait till he died so they could divert the funds. And really, any institution with math professors should be able to figure out that a sport with rosters of 20-30 athletes with just 9.9 scholarships doesn’t cost them money. Avoid commenting on this at all costs. Don’t worry though, many have come before you and succeeded.

What about exposure to brand and publicity? Sure, Wrestling is an inexpensive way to get 30ish tuition paying alumni to support the school with tuition and future donations. Also, Wrestling has the highest percentage of first-generation college athletes with also the highest support level of their coaches. Hey now, let’s not get facts in a way of a good story. A guy winning a national championship in an all black singlet on ESPN is not going to affect our brand at all. Olympic medalists from Indiana State and Portland State happen all the time…..

So yes, you may have some hesitancy, but many of these programs have been cut for no good reason. Even though we are academic institutions, it happened and we kept our jobs. Cut away! No common sense is needed!