Currently Cardinal, 8/23: Is Stanford’s sport-cutting decision likely elsewhere?

By now, we’ve all read multiple articles on Stanford’s decision to cut 11 varsity sports. Each article I’ve read attempts to justify, explain or just somehow come to grips with the difficult decision that the Stanford Cardinal athletics department had to come to.

Not many schools in the country offer as many sports as Stanford did, or still do, but a few of those schools that rank at the top of the list in terms of most sports offered, reside in conferences that are without a fall football season in 2020. Schools like UC Berkeley, Ohio State and a few others in the Big Ten or Pac-12 are likely going to be hurt incredibly in terms of finances without a football season.

Stanford was the first to discontinue sports at the varsity level, and it’s likely they won’t be the last.

So, it begs the question, as quick as Stanford’s decision was to cancel those 11 sports, were they too quick to do so, or were they just essentially ahead of the curve? This is not necessarily something you’d want to lead the country in, but the essential ‘ripping of the band-aid’ approach also isn’t the worst way to do this difficult process.

The question posed got me thinking, and searching, so here’s what I’ve found from around the Stanford athletics decision to cut sports and the national reaction, as well as some other schools who are trending in that direction as well.

Stanford Varsity Sports cuts could decimate U.S. Olympics Team

Upstream battle: Men’s rowers, alumni shocked, confused

Overtime: Field hockey alumni reflect on upcoming cut

Nebraska athletics enacting salary reductions due to $100 million budget hole

University of Iowa cuts four sports in wake of COVID-19 pandemic, loss of football

Ivy Sports in Retreat

Never-say-never mode: Michigan State AD warns of possible cuts to athletics

Should college sports get the ax?

Colleges explore esports opportunities and others face budget cuts

Despite pandemic, UMaine will not cut sports programs

George Washington University cuts seven teams following 2020-21

Wyoming athletics grapples with loss of fall seasons