By Kyle Garratt
After eliminating its wrestling and men’s swimming and tennis programs for budgetary reasons in May, Arizona State University has reinstated two of the teams. The swimming program resurfaced after the program raised $1 million to cover operating costs for the next four seasons and the wrestling program has come up with an $8 million endowment, keeping the program alive indefinitely.
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When Arizona State University announced that it was dropping the men’s swimming, men’s tennis, and wrestling teams on May 13, it came as a surprise to many of the 70 athletes and six coaches directly affected. The athletic department cut the three teams in order to save an estimated $1.1 million each year. ASU dropped the teams despite being ranked ninth in the nation in the U.S. Sports Academy Directors’ Cup standings, a measure of overall athletic department success—another sign that a quality athletic department is not necessarily a profitable one.
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"In no way do I want this to come across as this signaling any kind of retreat," ASU Vice President for Athletics Lisa Love told the Arizona Republic when the cuts were announced. "This is a strengthening of a 20-sport athletics program. What do we do for those 20 to be powerful?"
The most surprising turn of events in this story was how quickly two of the teams got back on their feet. Love left the door open for their return by saying the teams would be reinstated if they could raise sufficient funding. Within 10 days, the wrestling team raised the $8 million endowment necessary for full and immediate reinstatement.
Just over two months later, the swimming team met its goal by raising $1 million to cover operating expenses for the next four seasons. Over that time an additional $5 million endowment must be raised to make the reinstatement permanent.
"The response, financially, has been very positive," ASU Men’s Swimming Head Coach Mike Chasson told the Arizona Republic. "It's been almost two months to the day since we got the word. For us to raise this much money has been fabulous. It's just been fantastic."
The Republic reported that ASU Assistant Swimming Coach Simon Percy led the fundraising efforts, with help from former Sun Devils All-American Nick Brunelli. The coaching staff of the 2008 U.S. Olympic swimming team, which includes University of Arizona Head Coach Frank Busch, were among the more than 400 people who donated to keep the ASU swimming team afloat.
"It is comforting to know that we have had two separate sports communities step up and raise enough funds to support these programs," Love said in a news release. "This is both remarkable and special in that, for the second time, passionate alumni are giving back to protect the future of an ASU varsity sport that not only served them well, but, as of today, will continue to serve future athletes."
Still, the turmoil had taken a toll on the swimming program. Chasson told the Republic that he lost five or six recruits after the termination announcement, although he expects two or three others will join the team for the 2008-09 season.
Meanwhile, fundraising efforts for the tennis team are ongoing. The use of private funds to keep the teams going can confuse some people. For example, ASU held a ground breaking ceremony for a $8.4 million indoor, climate-controlled practice facility just two days after budgetary constraints took three teams. The funds used to build that facility come from capital fundraising, separate from the operating budget, but some questioned how Arizona State could cut teams at the same time a new building is being opened.
Kyle Garratt is an Assistant Editor at Athletic Management.
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