I have written this idea to Swimming World and USA Swimmer and now I want to share it with my Forum Friends to see if I can garner any support. I just read the report in the ASCA magazine on how the implementation of Title IX has hurt men's swimming. As a supporter of womens sports I think Title IX has done much more good than harm. As a fan of college swimming I think the NCAA has done more harm than good. I was searching for a solution that would get swimming out of being at the mercy of the NCAA.The solution seems to be to start a scholarship fund for swimmers to be administered by USA Swimming. Criteria would be set up,both athletic and academic,for deserving swimmers to earn college scholarships to the college of their choice. The swimmer would be free to swim for the college if they had a team if desired or for the appropriate club if they don't. If they earn a swimming scholarship from the college the extra funds could be recycled back into the program.In the interest of fairness the scholarships would go to an equal number of men and women. This program would not be a way to get around Title IX but to get around the NCAA. Yes,it would take a massive fund raising effort,but I think most swimmers,parents,Masters,and corporate sponsors would be interested in donating(I would.) It would give swimming great publicity and would be a great recruiting tool. What do Y'all think?
Yes , but the amount of money produced by those sports carry almost all the rest.Most “Revenue Generating sports” are not profit making sports. Game admissions and TV do not cover the cost of the programs. Very few Division 1 football programs show a profit and most are costing significantly more in one year than a swim team costs in 10 years.
However, any real solution doesn’t blame Title IX or football or basketball. The real solutions need to come from the inside out. College swimming programs need to look upon themselves as a business unit of the university. If they are a well run division, producing results and benefit to the university then the likelihood of being cut is greatly reduced.
Swim programs will not often get cut if they have their scholarships fully endowed, are active in the community, are positively visible within the school (academically and athletically) , have strong alumni support, and are connected to local USA Swimming and Masters programs.
Blaming Title IX or football won’t save swimming; swimming needs to save swimming.
Yes , but the amount of money produced by those sports carry almost all the rest.Most “Revenue Generating sports” are not profit making sports. Game admissions and TV do not cover the cost of the programs. Very few Division 1 football programs show a profit and most are costing significantly more in one year than a swim team costs in 10 years.
However, any real solution doesn’t blame Title IX or football or basketball. The real solutions need to come from the inside out. College swimming programs need to look upon themselves as a business unit of the university. If they are a well run division, producing results and benefit to the university then the likelihood of being cut is greatly reduced.
Swim programs will not often get cut if they have their scholarships fully endowed, are active in the community, are positively visible within the school (academically and athletically) , have strong alumni support, and are connected to local USA Swimming and Masters programs.
Blaming Title IX or football won’t save swimming; swimming needs to save swimming.
