SMU Baseball Hypothetical Questions

[Mustang2]

1) If SMU wanted to bring back baseball, would a women’s sport have to be added in terms of Title IX?

2) Where could a baseball park be added? I was thinking the east side of Central.

3) How much start-up money would have to be allocated to start a D1 program?

[mrydel]

4) Why, when we had it once and there was no student or outside interest? Perhaps 30-40 people in attendance.

[Charleston Pony]

Title IX would require softball to offset baseball but we can't seem to afford the sports we currently play so don't see it happening

[mtrout]

SMU has the minimum sports required and are thanking god equestrian still counts as an ncaa sport.

[mtrout]

4) Why, when we had it once and there was no student or outside interest? Perhaps 30-40 people in attendance.

Kinda like all our other sports other than football and men's basketball?

[mrydel]

4) Why, when we had it once and there was no student or outside interest? Perhaps 30-40 people in attendance.

Kinda like all our other sports other than football and men's basketball?

This is true but we had better turn outs for men’s track than we did baseball and track helped in recruiting for football.

[EastStang]

To compete with UT, A&M, Rice, Baylor, TCU, TT, OK, LSU,, UH and other schools recruiting in Texas (with tuitions lower than ours), you'd have to have scholarships. At least 15 preferably 20. So, figure $50,000 per player. $750,000-$1 Million per year for scholarships for men add a similar number for women gets you to $1.5-2.0 Million. Then, you need coaching staffs add another $1-2 Million/year. Then you need to travel and have equipment. We're in the AAC which has schools all over the country.
ECU, Temple, USF, UCF, Wichita, Memphis, Cincinnati, UConn. All adds up. Say another $1 Million. I figure $75-100 Million needed to endow baseball/softball.

[Charleston Pony]

I assume that additional land acquisition would be part of any baseball/softball equation (before you even consider stadium construction) so somebody would have to lay down well north of $100 mil to get those sports added. SMU needs to focus on "revenue" sports along with Olympic/Country Club sports

[smusportspage]

I have a question. Can someone tell me why college baseball still uses aluminum bats? Seems so little league.

[mrydel]

Only reason I have ever heard is cost.

[Peruna88]

To compete with UT, A&M, Rice, Baylor, TCU, TT, OK, LSU,, UH and other schools recruiting in Texas (with tuitions lower than ours), you'd have to have scholarships. At least 15 preferably 20. So, figure $50,000 per player. $750,000-$1 Million per year for scholarships for men add a similar number for women gets you to $1.5-2.0 Million. Then, you need coaching staffs add another $1-2 Million/year. Then you need to travel and have equipment. We're in the AAC which has schools all over the country.
ECU, Temple, USF, UCF, Wichita, Memphis, Cincinnati, UConn. All adds up. Say another $1 Million. I figure $75-100 Million needed to endow baseball/softball.

NCAA allows 11.7 scholarships in baseball for a maximum of 27 players per team.

[Charleston Pony]

Only reason I have ever heard is cost.

That's what I've heard reported...they don't break like wood bats and NCAA allows them

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

I have a question. Can someone tell me why college baseball still uses aluminum bats? Seems so little league.

Well, college baseball is pretty much little league.

But yeah, it is 100% cost.

Don't let the NCAA try to tell you they are concerned with athlete safety in any sport!

[Vitale]

SMU is not adding any sports unless someone underwrites the cost of the entire program and the cost of a corresponding women's program.

[mtrout]

4) Why, when we had it once and there was no student or outside interest? Perhaps 30-40 people in attendance.

Kinda like all our other sports other than football and men's basketball?

This is true but we had better turn outs for men’s track than we did baseball and track helped in recruiting for football.

Ask Sonny if TCU's track team helped TCU football (other than Kolby Listenbee suing them). If so, add men's track and women lacrosse (AAC sponsored in 2019). 12 scholarships each. You need 0 new facilities.

Helps football, Title IX compliant, relatively cheap compared to other options, increases our AAC sports footprint.