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The dominoes continue to fall in college sports with universities announcing more programs being cut.
This week, two Mid-American Conference (MAC) schools made cuts in their programs with more conferences likely to do so in the future as revenues lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic putting the squeeze on collegiate budgets.
Earlier in the week, the MAC announced that it would Eliminate Spring Championships Including Softball for “At Least Four Years.”
Here are the updates on the two university changes…
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BOWLING GREEN ELIMINATES BASEBALL
On Friday, Bowling Green announced that the baseball program would be dropped to save $500,000 annually as part of an overall effort to shave $2 million off the athletic budget.
Nicholas Piotrowicz of the Toledo Blade quoted Falcons Athletic Director Bob Moosbrugger who said in a virtual press conference, “Clearly, I know that fans and donors and certainly baseball alumni will be disappointed in this decision, and in me. Personally, I had to put my personal bias aside for the sport that I love and one of the reasons why I came here, and do what I thought was best for the entire athletic department.”
Absolutely heart breaking way to end my baseball career at BGSU. My heart goes out to my brothers as we enter the next chapter in our lives ❤️ thank you to the Bowling Green community for all of the support over the years 🙏 Two-zero, out ✌🏻 pic.twitter.com/CVVfxAb9wl
— Dyl (@dylan_dohanos) May 16, 2020
Pitrowicz wrote that “No other sports are being cut at Bowling Green, which will now will sponsor 17 varsity sports, but Moosbrugger said extensive cuts are coming to every sport.”
“Moosbrugger said administrators and coaches, even those under contract, will take part in the university’s furlough plan, starting with 20 days for the department’s highest earners. University president Rodney Rogers announced a 15-percent pay cut, while other senior administration will see 10-percent decreases.”
“More than 100 university employees were laid off or were informed their contracts would not be renewed.”
Asked if any other sports were considered, Moosbrugger said cutting baseball was in the best interest of the entire department.
“’Obviously on the men’s side, you have football, men’s basketball, and hockey that is pretty important to this community and this university,’” he said. “’Then you had baseball, men’s soccer, men’s golf, and men’s cross country. For us to try and hit those projections of what we need to reduce our budget by, it became obvious, unfortunately, that baseball was the sport [to cut].’”
“All of Bowling Green’s sports teams were asked to make cuts to their budget of between five and 25 percent, Moosbrugger said, and the school still is working through the scenarios and projections for future years.”
“The program had produced 49 Major League Baseball draft picks, including Orel Hershiser and Roger McDowell. Current Miami Marlins utility player Jon Berti and new Columbus Clippers manager Andy Tracy also played for the Falcons.”
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AKRON CUTS MEN’S GOLF & CROSS COUNTY, WOMEN’S TENNIS
The day before, Jennifer Pigolet of the Akron Beacon-Journal reported that another MAC school had cut three sports.
“The University of Akron followed through on its plan to begin trimming 23% of its athletics budget on Thursday by eliminating the men’s golf and cross country and women’s tennis programs,” she wrote.
“Director of Athletics Larry Williams said on a news conference call he was not ready to be more specific on the other cuts, but that the football team ‘will need to bear some of the burden.’”
“‘The overall arching goal is to make sure that whatever we do, we try to protect the opportunities that are available in college athletics,’” Williams said.”
“The cuts are expected to total $4.4 million. The university is in the process of cutting $65 million from its $325 million budget by early June through a massive reorganization of academics.”
BREAKING: University of Akron athletics proposing $4.4M in cuts, including elimination of three teams. (Story is updating momentarily)https://t.co/6hxfM5nDsD
— Jennifer Pignolet (@JenPignolet) May 14, 2020
“The shuttering of the three programs doesn’t represent the full scope of those $4.4 million in cuts.
Williams said they were the first leg of a four-pronged effort that will also include reductions in scholarships, salaries, operational expenses and staffing.
He said cost of attendance — the amount of money provided to student-athletes above tuition, room and board and books — will also be reviewed.”
Akron will have 17 athletic teams now: seven men’s sports and 10 women’s sports. The cutting of the three sports impacts 32 Zips student-athletes, 23 male and nine female.