10 game schedule vs. Less than 10 game schedule

[smedindy]

Yet schools with smaller endowments (trust me, $200MM would be a luxury at some schools) manage a 10-game schedule.

[pumkinattack]

I can't speak for other DIII schools, but between the lax budget at Hobart and the Title IX issue (and I don't mean for this to be a water cooler topic, it is what it is), I have enough knowledge of that institution to know that the sacrifices elsewhere would be beyond anyone's threshold to push the FB budget much.  In 1995 they cut baseball, men's swimming (and I believe one or two sports) that had been around a while, had both interest and success to accomodate moving up to DI in lacrosse. 

Again, I realize this is a football board, but for anyone who thinks lacrosse is some small, marginal sport or somehow inferior to football doesn't know what it means to this specific institution (in national profile, student recruiting, history & culture).  Is it unfair to the football players at Hobart?  Yes, but it's clear going in that all athletics will be second fiddle to lacrosse going in and yet Coach Cragg manages to do ok (IMO, much, much better than Ok) in both performance on the field and recruiting. 

And believe me, Hobart's poor compared to their peer group in the LL, CC and, to a lesser extent, NESCAC.  Other than the non-core LL members and SLU, they're probably half the endowment of the rest of that group or less.  What's Hopkins endowment? 

[smedindy]

Peer or no, their endowment is still pretty hefty compared to other schools that manage to play 10-games.

And many schools have football programs that are afterthoughts yet still play 10-game schedules. The travel in that area isn't half as bad as the travel in the ASC. Just to pull one out, Mississippi College has only a $55 million endowment, yet plays 10-games, sponsors 16 sports (including equestrian) and travels to places like Abilene, Brownwood and Alpine, TX from Mississippi. That's a haul.

They can make it work, if they choose. Some schools don't for whatever reason.

[pumkinattack]

Yes, you're right.  HWS administration are a bunch of beasts who treat the football program poorly.  Nevermind that the lacrosse budget dwarfs all 16 programs at the institution you mention ( travel from Geneva NY to Denver, Louisville, Columbus OH & Baltimore - all flights just in conference) or the title IX issue I've brought up twice - which is a major issue. 

Like I said, I played FB at Hobart when they dropped the 10th game, but what you're implying is myopic at best.  And frankly, in the context of title IX considerations flat out wrong.  The only option Hobart would have is to drop lacrosse to DIII - and there was a referendum on that in 2008 and a near Tunisian style riot when that was announced. 

[smedindy]

No, if they wanted to, they can make it work with Title IX and those flights for LAX. Alumni must care about the LAX program, so increase the fundraising program for the athletics department that can provide opportunities for all student athletes and help keep LAX in D-1.

It can be done if they choose to do it. I feel many colleges and universities take the easy way out and look very short term.

Also, not all endowment is created equal. Some schools may have a quadro-bazillion dollar endowment but it may be restricted to specific research programs that wouldn't exist outside the endowment and doesn't really offset the operating expenses of the university.