Arizona State Cuts Men’s Tennis Program

With the noose of its budget tightening around its throat, Arizona State cut three men’s programs: tennis, swimming and wrestling. Oh…and the cut of the programs also handily keeps ASU in agreement with Title IX. Darn lucky how that worked out.

But pretend that just wasn’t put out there. I don’t want to have this huge discussion. I wrote papers about it in college and it inevitably comes up when you work in athletics and I’m just sick and tired of talking about it.

Really I have nothing new to add to this tired-out argument, but I think a moment of silence is in order for those athletes who no longer have a team. I don’t think they woke up thinking today was the day they were no longer going to have a coach or teammates or competitions in the same uniform.

Sure, they can transfer. But transferring doesn’t always pan out. And what about the kid that had always wanted to be a Sun Devil tennis player? What if that had been his dream since he was boot high? Ohhh well. Budget cuts son, buck up. Title IX kid, get over it.

I think a lot of people in important places don’t realize just how far the effects of these decisions trickle down. Were they necessary? Meh, I don’t know. I’m not the one pushing numbers. But it doesn’t make it suck any less for those athletes who technically aren’t varsity athletes anymore.