Exaggerated claims of a crisis fail to justify dropping soccer
“No hay mal que por bien no venga” is a wise lesson my great-grandfather, Isidoro Vigil, once taught me. Nothing is so bad that something good doesn’t happen as a result. This community received a kick in the gut when the University of New Mexico cut the men’s soccer program. Since then this community has come together and spoken. UNM should take advantage of this opportunity by rescinding those cuts and turn this situation into a positive.
A recent Journal editorial stated that critics, including legislators, should come up with solutions to save UNM sports programs or respect the decision to cut. As a citizen legislator and UNM sports fan, I feel compelled to respond. Before we discuss solutions, however, let’s be clear on what the problems are, and more importantly, what they are not.
First, UNM’s athletic budget shortfall does not rise to the level of a crisis. The athletic department has been running a deficit eight of the past 11 years. The challenges of managing a mid-major sports program are not unique to UNM, as a majority of Division I athletic departments nationally currently run deficits. The main reason for these shortfalls was lower-thanexpected ticket sales. UNM has at its disposal the ability, including using cash reserves, to overcome its shortfall.
Secondly, UNM is not in jeopardy of losing federal funding due to Title IX. Title IX of the Civil-Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The crux of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.-led civil rights movement as it relates to Title IX is about expanding educational opportunities for women. UNM is claiming Title IX concerns while simultaneously cutting women’s skiing, diving and beach volleyball, contrary to the spirit of Title IX.
The fact is no college or university has ever lost federal funding due to Title IX. UNM conveniently paid for a report published in May that brought Title IX concerns to the forefront, practically creating a problem in need of an immediate solution. Cutting men’s sports does nothing to increase women’s opportunities. Federal law basically requires UNM to maintain policies, practices and programs that do not discriminate. By adding women’s beach volleyball a few years ago UNM remained in substantial compliance with Title IX. A Title IX emergency does not exist as suggested by UNM in its reasoning for cutting men’s soccer.
Thirdly, the Journal has stated UNM needs to adhere to Mountain West Conference requirements. To maintain MWC membership a school must have football, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, and maintain at least 16 sports teams, including eight women’s teams. The cuts had nothing to do with maintaining MWC membership.
So what is the problem? UNM is spread too thin given the number of sports programs and current revenue. There is no crisis, however, that demands cutting sports programs right now. UNM must first consider a road map to success and realize its athletic budget can grow.
UNM can always revisit these decisions in the spring, after football and basketball season and the legislative session. President Garnett Stokes is rebuilding UNM’s credibility, Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez is growing the donor base beyond the current Lobo Club membership, and an incoming governor always brings new energy and renewed excitement to our state.
Let’s not cut the nation’s fastest-growing sport with so many positive things on the horizon. Lobo soccer success is key to Albuquerque staying on the radar for a future major league soccer team. Saving the soccer program can also be a catalyst to changing the mindset of this community that New Mexico can and will reach its full potential. Let’s make it happen.