Athletic Budget Update #72

The State of Illinois budget situation is impacting Southern Illinois athletic programs.  SIU men's basketball will not participate in a post season tournament despite a 22-10 record due to funding concerns and men's and women's tennis could be on the chopping block as well if a 20% budget cut from the state occurs.

St. Cloud announced they are cutting six sports (men's tennis, cross country, indoor and outdoor track  and women's tennis and nordic skiing).  They also intend to institute roster management by requiring minimum size rosters in some women's sports and roster caps in some men's sports to comply with Title IX.  The result should be savings of about $250,000 annually.

Fresno State is adding women's water polo, and reinstating wrestling which was dropped in 2006.

SIU Edwardsville is dropping men's tennis and women's golf in response to the University's budget situation.  This is the 11th men's tennis program cut in the past two years.  They also decided to leave their band and cheerleaders home from the OVC basketball tournaments.

Alaska Fairbanks is facing elimination of general funds support to athletics, which would be approximately half their budget ($2.8 million).  Their athletic director believes it would be the end of their athletics program were the cut to occur.

The budget situation in the state of Louisiana continues to be scrutinized with a recent report that the public universities in the state (other than LSU) increased their athletic spending by 57% while reducing their spending on academics by more than 4% over the last eight years.  Here is some additional information with more graphics.

Grambling suspended its search for an athletic director due to its uncertain budget situation.  And then less than a week later, reinstated it.

LaSalle is adding men's and women's water polo and women's golf to its sport offerings in an attempt to curb enrollment declines at the institution.  This raises the number of teams they offer to 25.

Comments