Save Sun Devil Tennis

[10isDad]

Any of you juniors have parents w/ deep pockets:

As some of you know, Lisa Love, the ASU Athletic Director, announced on May 13 that the Men's Tennis program at Arizona State University would be cut effective immediately (along with men's wrestling and men's swimming.) The team has been told that if they can raise 5 million dollars to endow the program in perpetuity, the team would be reinstated. While that may seem like a daunting task, the dedicated athletes on this team have started efforts to raise the money.

Everyone who loves tennis has an interest in the resurrection of this program. If a university as large as ASU, a program with the history and success that ASU has enjoyed, a team from one of the most competitive conferences in the country, can cut their men's tennis team, no program is safe. It sets a precedent that no one in tennis wants to see set. If there are fewer and fewer collegiate men's tennis programs available to boys, it will ultimately impact how many boys stay with junior tennis. If there is no where to play after high school and juniors other than the pro tour, how will boys junior tennis survive? It is a trickle down effect that is not out of the realm of possibility. That is why anyone who loves tennis should be concerned about the loss of this program whether they are an ASU fan or not.

The website the team has created: www dot savesundeviltennis dot com which has additional information on the team and a way to donate.

 

[jamauss]

I wish I had deep pockets - it's a shame their tennis program got canceled.

 

[RedWeb]

$5,000,000 so 20 guys can play tennis in sunny Arizona. Oh brother! If that is what it costs to enable the ASU to play then I say good riddance.

I love tennis, but ASU tennis program going under is not the death bell for the game. It will be around as long as two people can string a net between two poles. IMHO, NCAA programs have gotten totally out of control and sports have gone far beyond where they should be in our society.

 

[10isDad]

^^^ Your opinion doesn't really sound that humble...and it's interesting that for somebody who feels sports has gone too far, you're replying to a sports message board.

With a little research, you'd see that there have been dozens of schools that have dropped tennis in the past several years. ASU is just the latest. There are only 7 of the 10 teams in the Pac-10 who have teams. Look to the Big 12 and you see that Nebraska is the only team in the north with a men's tennis team. The trend of eliminating traditional, non-revenue men's sports is rising.

Perhaps it means little to you, but it seems to me you missed the point of the article. Yes, tennis will remain but having the goal to possibly play college tennis is a strong motivator among junior players. The fewer teams there are, the less that motivation exists.

Finally, the annual budget for men's tennis was about $285,000. The $5 million is to permanently endow the program. ASU couldn't afford $285,000 per year but they could re-new a football coach's contract, then fire him with a $3 million dollar buy-out + pay the new football coach $1.5 million per year.

 

[10isDad]

I wish I had deep pockets - it's a shame their tennis program got canceled.

Every little bit helps - even if only a couple bucks, if enough people do it, they'll be able to raise the money.

 

[RedWeb]

^^^ Your opinion doesn't really sound that humble...and it's interesting that for somebody who feels sports has gone too far, you're replying to a sports message board.

Not sure of your point here? Posting on a sports message board is no different than discussing sports with the next door neighbor. Conversation between fans has been happening since sports existed. Now that conversation can happen electronically on the Internet.

With a little research, you'd see that there have been dozens of schools that have dropped tennis in the past several years. ASU is just the latest. There are only 7 of the 10 teams in the Pac-10 who have teams. Look to the Big 12 and you see that Nebraska is the only team in the north with a men's tennis team. The trend of eliminating traditional, non-revenue men's sports is rising.

I understand that these schools don't have NCAA teams anymore but I bet they still have students participating in tennis (and in some cases playing other school's intramural teams) and some fine tennis facilities that would put most public facilities to shame.

Perhaps it means little to you, but it seems to me you missed the point of the article. Yes, tennis will remain but having the goal to possibly play college tennis is a strong motivator among junior players. The fewer teams there are, the less that motivation exists.

If we need tennis to motivate children to attend college then something is wrong. My guess is that the majority of the ASU tennis players would of gone to college even if they never picked up a tennis racket. There are hundreds of schools that never had a tennis program to start with. Should we attempt to collect $5,000,000 for each of those as well. Where does it end?

Finally, the annual budget for men's tennis was about $285,000. The $5 million is to permanently endow the program. ASU couldn't afford $285,000 per year but they could re-new a football coach's contract, then fire him with a $3 million dollar buy-out + pay the new football coach $1.5 million per year.

I understand how an endowment works. You just made my main point. Two men (those coaches) are getting the $5 million that you're asking for. As I stated NCAA sports is out of control. Unfortunately the students who picked the "marginal" sports like tennis, swimming and wrestling suffer because of it.

I wish you good luck in your endeavor. I fear you are fighting a losing battle however. One that we've not seen the end of as more programs are eliminated.