Recently, Western Washington University announced it will eliminate its football program to save money and preserve a number of other sports. Some commenters have suggested other public universities might consider such a move, but today’s Seattle PI has a good story on why one size does not fit all.
At the UW, where athletics are fully supported by athletic department revenues, football is the major economic driver that helps fund many other sports. Other state schools use a percentage of their state funding to support athletics, so their situation may differ.
Western’s decision to eliminate football caught many by surprise. The current budget crisis will no doubt lead to more decisions one could not have envisioned even a few weeks ago — all the more reason we will be encouraging policymakers to provide flexibility for institutions to develop solutions that reflect their unique situations.