We are a huge sport but we are somewhat segregated. Through the years due to budget cuts, Title IX collegiate programs were forced to make hard decisions. How many schools really have a full track team? Most programs have an area of emphasis and recruit to that, the other events are not funded at all or are token efforts.
If you are a distance runner you go to X schools, if you are a sprinter you chose Y schools, rarely do the two intersect. Now, toss in the recruitment of gobs of foreign athletes and what you are left with is a sport with no base, no infrastructure. College ADs can cut with impunity because there's nobody there you cares.
The women are lucky because with Title IX they basically have a federally protected right to a scholarship. You can be a pretty horrible HS runner and still get scholarship money, if you aren't super picky about what school are going to attend.
The Covid excuse is going to be used to slash Olympic sports and now, with no fan base, we are going to be left powerless to do anything about it.