85 scholarships at the FBS level. 22 less at the FCS level.
85 scholarships at the FBS level. 22 less at the FCS level.
Football in action wrote:Since football is unique both in numbers, cost, and the fact that there is no female equivalent, I don't think it should be counted for Title IX purposes.
This is what I've been saying for years. And it's not just "numbers, cost, no female equivalent", it's also the plus side - other than Men's Basketball (and maybe Men's Ice Hockey at some of the more rabid hockey schools) no other sport really has the potential to bring in money for a college like Football does.
What I don't understand is why Football is legally defined as a men's sport for Title IX purposes. Are women not permitted to try out? If women are permitted to try out for a team, whether it be football or any other team, then to me that team should not count against a school's Title IX calculation, regardless of who actually makes the roster. To me, if you have a sport where teams are defined by gender, Men's Soccer/Women's Soccer, Baseball/Softball, for example, then I think it's entirely appropriate that a college should support athletic opportunities for members of both genders and strive to provide an equivalent experience for members of both teams. But when you have programs where one gender has a team and the other doesn't, Football, Field Hockey, for example, then it should be looked at as a separate entity.
I stand corrected on the number of scholarships, but even with FCS it's a large number of male scholarships with no female equivalent.
As far as not counting football as male because it is open to women too, that seems like too much of a dodge. You could have unisex sports for every sport, but as a practical matter the sports would then be almost all male, just because of genetics.
I think the honest thing is just to say that football is unique in a lot of ways (size, cost, public interest, etc.) compared to all other college sports, male or female, so it shouldn't be counted for Title IX.
What a shame...
Their neighbors in Boone are losing their track to a "facility enhancement" (football). And App State's athletic director has the gall to say, "If we had the money, I would love for the track programs to have a standalone facility." Yeah, bull shit.