Question: Why no Baseball team?

[swarthmoreCY]

I don't know where you're coming up with this, but there are at least one or two guys we recruit for football every year that express at least some desire to play baseball too. Maybe the reason you think they are so rare is because we don't stay on their radar very long when they figure out we don't have baseball.

How many kids sign LOI for football each year? Over 2400?
Just a guess, but of those maybe 10% factor in the ability to play baseball. Of that set, even less are on ISU's radar.

It matters a less than what recruits think of our fashion sense.

[mred]

That's not what he meant. It is both, the money it takes to generate a competitive baseball team and the additional $s for scholarships they would have had to "create" for women's sports and the funds needed to support that program.

What do you base that on?

[Bipolarcy]

How many kids sign LOI for football each year? Over 2400?
Just a guess, but of those maybe 10% factor in the ability to play baseball. Of that set, even less are on ISU's radar.

It matters a less than how recruits think of our fashion sense.

I never claimed it was a huge number, but it happens more often than the guy I'm responding to says it does. In fact, I said it happened with about one or two guys we recruit each year, and considering we recruit anywhere from 45-80 players every year, your percentages are even higher than mine.

[swarthmoreCY]

I never claimed it was a huge number, but it happens more often than the guy I'm responding to says it does. In fact, I said it happened with about one or two guys we recruit each year, and considering we recruit anywhere from 45-80 players every year, your percentages are even higher than mine.

Isn't his point that it does not happen enough to be a net gain for football?...given you stated "The biggest reason I would like to see us start up the baseball program again is that occasionally, we get football players considering us who also play baseball.".

He stated those are rare situations.
So it happens for a few out of 45-80 recruits, yet it is not rare? Is that really "more common than you think" (your initial response to his claim).

[SCNCY]

How many two sport college athletes are there these days? Also, don't a lot of coaches discourage being a two sport athlete?

[NEICyFan]

Isn't his point that it does not happen enough to be a net gain for football?...given you stated "The biggest reason I would like to see us start up the baseball program again is that occasionally, we get football players considering us who also play baseball.".

He stated those are rare situations.
So it happens for a few out of 45-80 recruits, yet it is not rare? Is that really "more common than you think" (your initial response to his claim).

Thanks. I would be willing to bet that, on average, less than one kid per D-1 football program also plays baseball. That's incredibly rare and far from a reason to have a baseball program.

But this is all moot anyway--we just do not have the finances for a baseball program and that isn't going to change in the near or distant future. I'm more worried about keeping the offerings we have. The number of fans who don't understand the financial crunch we are in amazes me.

[Senolcyc]

'Tis better to have not played at all than to have played and lost with nine fans in attendance.

[abcguyks]

I'd be willing to give up men's golf, track and field, and cross country to help fund a baseball program. People might gripe about not having enough people attend baseball games (even though I think this is false), but I don't know one person who was ever a spectator at a golf, track, or cross country event that wasn't friends or family of a competitor.

I'd also give up the basketball team before I'd give up the wrestling team... just saying.

You've hit my hot button here. These sports are MUCH less expensive to operate than baseball and many more athletes are given an opportunity to participate. While the baseball team may take 20 trips outside of Ames to play games (generally overnight trips costing about $100/day per player IF ground transportation is used), cross country only has 6 to 8 events (with a much smaller number of athletes than baseball (~10 vs 25)). Track and field (indoor + outdoor) will only take about 6 to 10 trips over 50 miles and these are generally not overnight trips.

I believe that the required budget for baseball (including the impact on additional women's Title IX scholarships) would be significantly more than that for the three sports you've mentioned. ISU also has a history of doing very well in track & cross country which can not be said for baseball.

It all comes down to money and bang for the buck. Baseball is a very expensive sport that few people care about (except for a very vocal minority) and few get to participate in. It was an easy target for the chopping block. Until the athletic department gets on solid ground, discussion of bringing back baseball should remain on the bench.

[c.y.c.l.o.n.e.s]

I stumbled upon a game at Cap Timm back in the 80s. It was an absolutely beautiful day. There were literally more players in the dugouts than there were fans in the stands.

With attendance like that, we don't need a new stadium. Just plop some bleachers down at one of the fields in the city parks and let them play.

[drednot57]

Baseball was canceled purely due to financial issues. Title IX was not and issue. Actually, if ISU did bring back mens baseball, they still would in be compliance with Title IX as the number womens athletic scholarships available still would out number the number of schollies available for men IIRC. Title IX goes by the number of schollies available for women vis-a-vis the number of mens schollies available. Not by the actual number of sports available for participation. On the mens side, the large number of football schollies puts a big hurt on the rest of the mens sports unfortunately.

[abcguyks]

Truman State just announced they are dropping baseball - budget issues. Also phasing out funds for men's swimming, tennis, and wrestling.

Truman State University - Truman Announces Reductions In Athletic Programs