Big Ten School Announces That 4 Men’s Sports Have Been Cut

The global pandemic is continuing to have severe financial consequences for many schools. But even the big money in the Big Ten can’t save some sports from being cut.

According to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, Minnesota has announced that four sports programs are being cut. Per the report, men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field, men’s gymnastics and men’s tennis are all getting the axe. They will be eliminated following the 2020-21 competition season.

In an open letter to the University of Minnesota, the athletics department acknowledged that its budget has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The school said that they are projected a $75 million revenue loss for the upcoming year.

As a result, the four aforementioned athletics programs are being cut. But they may not be the last.

Via GopherSports.com:

“…we have determined that Athletics is no longer able to financially or equitably sustain 25 varsity programs, and pending approval of the Board of Regents, we will discontinue men’s indoor track and field, men’s outdoor track and field, men’s gymnastics and men’s tennis at the completion of their 2020-21 competition season. Should health and safety precautions allow, these teams will have the opportunity to compete during the 2020-21 season.”

Minnesota is one of dozens of athletics programs that have now cut sports during the pandemic.

It’s essentially a testament to how vital college football has become to keeping some of these schools’ athletics programs solvent.

Sadly, there may be many more cases of this happening before 2020 is finally – mercifully – over.