College Athletics Finances

No sooner had the ax fallen on four men's sports programs at Cal State Northridge last year than the school's football team came under fire. The cuts, made a year ago today by the Northridge administration for budgetary reasons and to help the school move toward compliance with gender-equity regulations, angered many in the community who believed there was another clear alternative: Drop football, keep the other sports.

June 11, 1997 is a day of infamy in the history of Cal State Northridge athletics. Never did I imagine my alma mater would do the unthinkable--drop baseball, men's volleyball, men's soccer and men's swimming from its athletic program. The arrogance of the decision--and the lack of consultation of community members--left me embarrassed and angry.

The UCLA and USC athletic departments spend significantly more money on men's sports than women's, the California chapter of the National Organization for Women said Thursday in announcing it intends to soon file civil rights complaints against both schools. Though spending on women's teams is on the rise at both schools, budgets remain skewed toward men's sports, NOW spokeswoman Linda Joplin said. USC, for instance, allocated $683,692, or 20.6% of 1997-98 operating expenses, to women's sports.

The field will look the same, with the giant red rose and green petals painted over the 50-yard line. The difference will be in homes in Southern California, and perhaps more important, in the snowbound Midwest and Northeast, where televisions will turn to . . . The Rose Bowl, presented by MasterCard. Or by McDonald's. Or by . . . who knows? But not the McRose Bowl. The game will add a sponsor's tagline for 1999, one of several things that will be different in the Arroyo Seco next Jan. 1.

Her white hair tied neatly in a bun, 68-year-old grandmother Cathie Wright seems to be an unlikely candidate to impact Cal State Northridge athletics. But Wright, a Republican state senator whose district includes Northridge, became a white knight last summer when she secured $586,000 in public education funds to rescue four men's sports cut by Northridge administrators.

Paul Bubb, Cal State Northridge athletic director, on Friday asked a skeptical university budget advisory board to kick-start his beleaguered program with additional money until fund-raising and improved facilities begin to generate greater revenues a few years from now. Bubb's proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is about $400,000 more than the $6.

Wayne Thobe grew up in a family in which his three athletic brothers received college basketball scholarships. Now Thobe's son is a wrestler at Mater Dei High, and his daughter is a junior high softball player. And basketball player. And thinking about trying some other sports too. Who can blame her for keeping her options open? By the time 12-year-old Elaine Thobe is ready for college, she will have a smorgasbord of sporting opportunities to choose from.

Politicians and the public Thursday condemned the elimination of four men's athletic teams at Cal State Northridge, while university President Blenda J. Wilson defended herself from criticism she remained off campus and out of touch when the controversial decision was announced. CSUN cut the baseball, volleyball, swimming and soccer teams Wednesday in an attempt to bring its deficit-ridden athletic department into compliance with gender-equity laws commonly known as Title IX.

John Price woke up Thursday morning, grabbed his newspaper and still couldn't believe what he was reading. "It was like I was reading about another program," Price said on his second day as Northridge's former men's volleyball coach. "I think I'm still in denial. I haven't dealt with it yet." The Day After didn't bring much comfort to the members of Cal State Northridge's four men's athletic programs that were eliminated Wednesday because of budget and gender-equity concerns.

Barry Schreifels finds a cruel irony in the fact that gender-equity considerations were partly responsible for Cal State Northridge eliminating its men's swimming program. Schreifels, coach of the men's and women's swimming teams, says no other sport on campus provided a more equal opportunity for both sexes. Side by side, male and female swimmers worked out together, competed together and on Wednesday, when news of the cutbacks hit, they shed tears together.