Univ. Of Md. College Park Will Cut Several Sports Teams To Save Money
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) -- Marylanders are called on to save Maryland teams. The University of Maryland announced which athletic programs will be cut to save money.
Pat Warren reports only generous hearts may save them.
It's a blue Monday all around for the University of Maryland. Some of the Terrapins will be missing, casualties of budget cuts.
"Today is a day for me of enormous sadness," said University of Maryland President Wallace Loh. "I want to make it very clear that this is perhaps one of the most painful and heart-wrenching decisions I've made. This is not something that we -- any of us -- wanted to do."
Six athletic programs and eight teams are affected. Men will lose cross-country, indoor and outdoor track, swimming and diving and tennis. Women will also lose swimming and diving, in addition to water polo and acrobatics and tumbling.
Some students are just learning they're losing teams.
"I think that's awful," said one.
"No, that's not good. I disagree," said another.
"It's not fair for the track team and the swimming team. It's bad," said a third.
The football and basketball programs are revenue raisers but not enough to support all of the school's teams.
"We cannot continue year after year having expenses that are greater than our revenues, living beyond our means," said Loh.
The athletic department is trying to raise money to keep the teams alive. The focus is now on the rescue operation and that ball is in the public's court.
If the teams can raise enough money to sustain themselves for eight years, they will remain active. Otherwise, they shut down in June of next year.
