I just heard that two more universities, Rutgers and James Madison, are ditching men's swimming while spending zillions on football and golf. My own alma mater almost cut women's swimming several years ago. They were saved by alumni fundraising, but not until the swim team put itself up for sale on ebay. Endurance sports get no respect. It makes no sense. I thought open water swimming and triathlons and road racing were on the rise even among young kids. If so, why cut all those sports in college? I guess it's still just a miniscule percentage that participate compared to other sports, like my least favorite youth sport -- travel soccer.
Parents
Former Member
I get it and don't get it. The schools must have swim facilities a capitol investment. They must have guards and a swim coach. I guess they will not dump all that ,there still will be swim classes and exercise. You must mean they will not support travel and expenses to swim meets with other schools to compete. I can understand that theres a lot of money on football /basketball in college sports because there are lots of sports gamblers and the media coverage is what generates the money. I understand that there are lots of people who watch televised sports that just love the game but to tell you the truth if it were not for sports gambling in all the ways it exists (football pools ect) there probably would be no great intrest in sports in this country after high school. Think of all the attention to beepers/cell phones/ ect that can provide game scores..like its a big deal. I could care less for all that but it is big in this country and lots of people have money riding on a game, thats why they watch and the media gives such attention. Swimming is not a betting sports game.. now think about that a minute and you know it could be except it would be a betting game that would be too easy to "throw" (payback to swim slow example) so there no betting intrest. Now to prove what I am saying look at this. Football stadiums are pretty full on game days, football is in a sense todays "Americas Sport" so there are today lots of people who enjoy a day at the stadium to cheer on the home team, ..basketball stadiums may look full but how many people do they actually hold.. the fans there are real and enjoy the game, but a much smaller crowd then the football stadium..I mean how big is a basketball court in size? And a coiuple thousand people there will look huge on TV. Now the baseball stadium is big like a football stadium and look at the games on TV and... see a few people there..lots of empty seats, thats ok..the gamblers can still get their scores from the web/TV / radio ect..and thats where the money is.
Now maybe you can understand why some colleges are dropping swimming as a team sport. No sports gambler intrest.. no media coverage.. no money to be made. Hey .. maybe theres a way to turn that around.... Lane 1 is off a tenth lane two is closing, lane 6 is ...just like the horse races.. cept like I said, Its too easy to "throw".. but keep thinking..theres got to be a way.
I get it and don't get it. The schools must have swim facilities a capitol investment. They must have guards and a swim coach. I guess they will not dump all that ,there still will be swim classes and exercise. You must mean they will not support travel and expenses to swim meets with other schools to compete. I can understand that theres a lot of money on football /basketball in college sports because there are lots of sports gamblers and the media coverage is what generates the money. I understand that there are lots of people who watch televised sports that just love the game but to tell you the truth if it were not for sports gambling in all the ways it exists (football pools ect) there probably would be no great intrest in sports in this country after high school. Think of all the attention to beepers/cell phones/ ect that can provide game scores..like its a big deal. I could care less for all that but it is big in this country and lots of people have money riding on a game, thats why they watch and the media gives such attention. Swimming is not a betting sports game.. now think about that a minute and you know it could be except it would be a betting game that would be too easy to "throw" (payback to swim slow example) so there no betting intrest. Now to prove what I am saying look at this. Football stadiums are pretty full on game days, football is in a sense todays "Americas Sport" so there are today lots of people who enjoy a day at the stadium to cheer on the home team, ..basketball stadiums may look full but how many people do they actually hold.. the fans there are real and enjoy the game, but a much smaller crowd then the football stadium..I mean how big is a basketball court in size? And a coiuple thousand people there will look huge on TV. Now the baseball stadium is big like a football stadium and look at the games on TV and... see a few people there..lots of empty seats, thats ok..the gamblers can still get their scores from the web/TV / radio ect..and thats where the money is.
Now maybe you can understand why some colleges are dropping swimming as a team sport. No sports gambler intrest.. no media coverage.. no money to be made. Hey .. maybe theres a way to turn that around.... Lane 1 is off a tenth lane two is closing, lane 6 is ...just like the horse races.. cept like I said, Its too easy to "throw".. but keep thinking..theres got to be a way.
