Letters to the Editor
Posted on October 12, 2006

Attendance numbers don’t prove a sport’s value

This is in response to the letter to the editor on Monday attempting to justify the university’s actions to cut 10 varsity sports. The first argument was where was the student body when these sports got cut? The same could be asked about the sports that were kept. When was the last time the men’s basketball team sold out the Convocation Center or the tennis team packed the stands? Many of the varsity sports that were kept do not have a huge student following.

Another reason for a lack of total numbers can be attributed to the lack of media support from the athletic department. We are not given team posters to post around campus nor the publicity that other teams enjoy. Just because a team does not draw massive attendance does not mean a school should not recognize it. 

Secondly, the teams cut only constituted a total budget of half a million dollars out of a $23 million athletic budget! So yes, JMU could fiscally compete with the likes of Michigan. Finally, the letter attempts to blame our devout alumni, who were the reason the teams were kept in 2001. Our alumni continually attempt to give large financial gifts to individual teams; however, these gifts many times must be split in half, half to the athletic department, and half to the actual team it was intended for. With 50 percent skimmed off the top, it’s no wonder that these gifts do not amount to much.

Andrew Robarge, senior history and education major, JMU wrestling team