Most college athletic departments lose money, the NCAA reported. In the top five conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12), schools’ median revenue was $7 million below expenses. At the other Division I schools, the difference was $23 million on average. So it should be no surprise that when the pandemic hit, many schools’ finances suffered even more, and many athletic departments had to take drastic actions. According to numbers from businessofcollegesports.com, colleges have cut 85 Division I sports since the pandemic started, affecting at least 1,300 athletes. Including NAIA and NJCAA (junior college) schools, more than 300 sports programs have been eliminated, ncaasports.org reported.
