Amidst all the announcements of cuts and downgrades from varsity status on colleges across the country…as of July 10 there were now 51 schools cutting over 182 sports that could impact thousands of student-athletes, coaches and staff…was a bit of a shining light of opportunity. Several schools had announced that sports…from soccer to squash to others…would continue to be offered on a club level for intercollegiate play.
For many of a certain age, club sports were a beer infused, sometimes mismanaged backwater activity done by those who couldn’t make the cut but still wanted to participate somewhere above intramurals. However club sports, which in most places falls under student activities and garners operation fees from schools, have become a pretty interesting source of entrepreneurism, revenue, and opportunity for students with a passion to play and represent their sport of choice without being under most of the restrictions, and issues of NCAA competition.
I speak to this from experience as to how club sports can move the needle, with much of the look and feel of any varsity sport if managed right. For five years I was involved in the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championships, which drew over 30,000 fans on a June weekend to the home of the Philadelphia Union and was televised on NBC and later ESPN. The event drew from a well-organized and cost efficient system for club sevens rugby that mixed grad students, international students, former athletes with a year left on campus, and some die hard and effective rugby lifers, in an event that was every bit as first class as most NCAA sanctioned championships, and outdrew more than most of them. The programs were largely club…meaning they received some funds and governance from the University but were able to raise money and even sell sponsorships on their own as well as being able to use the ultra-valuable rights and marks of the schools they represented. The men and women were high quality motivated athletes that used this event as the pinnacle of their season, and it became a showplace for what club sports could do. There were a few exceptions where rugby id a varsity sport; Cal’s legendary program is one…and several small schools like Life University, Lindenwood University and Kutztown saw rugby as a chance to draw international students and use the sport much like a school like Gonzaga has used basketball…as a source of school pride and notoriety beyond campus. However, for most, the athletes and coaches and supporters had a budget, raised money, sometimes self-funded and put on a highly competing show in front of a solid audience. Alas for reasons beyond the athletes and schools, the CRC stopped being an entity this year (nothing to do with COVID 19 either) but it set an example other have followed.
Club ice hockey for example, has become a national cause celebre for schools where the sport is popular…like Drexel University in Philly or even SEC schools like Alabama and Georgia…but cannot fit the structure or budget needs for varsity status. In many cases the teams…men and women…are engaged and elevated enough to even draw crowds for games and use that money to also offset costs. In recent years we have also seen “collegiate” events like road racing courses and cornhole pit school against school, and in most cases various esports programs have started to thrive as self-funded entities under student activities without many of the issues which continue to arise under “varsity” status. There are also instances where universities have seen growth opportunities for sports like lacrosse, and have asked the club level sport to go through a proving ground with some dollars and supervision, and if successful, eventually get elevated to varsity status. The prime example is lacrosse at the University of Michigan, and now ice hockey at Arizona State. They proved a need and an opportunity, and then moved up the ladder. Brown University recently elevated its sailing program, which was self-funded and was able to generate donor revenue and grow its competitive base, even while downgrading other sports. There has also been a great deal of interest, similar to rugby, in 3 x 3 basketball on an intercollegiate club level, with a championship that was built and promoted around two consecutive Final Fours, showing great promise. Brands bought in, social media built, and schools were well represented especially as 3 x 3 becomes an Olympics event hopefully in japan next summer.
Now “club” sports may not work for all. It’s hard to see the cost heavy sports like football for example, working as a club sport. However for rising competitive sports…ultimate frisbee, beach soccer, futsal, cricket, as well as traditional sports on large campuses like baseball, softball and even soccer, the club umbrella provides a forum, a competitive side, the ability to balance a school load, and the ability to be fiscally responsible and entrepreneurial in terms of running a business, key elements which will benefit thousands of students beyond their college years. Now it’s not easy, as club sports probably take as much savvy to maintain a proper balance and competitive edge as some varsity sports do on campus, but it is a smart and interesting alternative to carve a niche, represent a school, build networking opportunities and be competitive as the hammer keeps falling on varsity athletics challenged to balance budgets.
When the smoke clears, the hope is that many athletic programs become more entrepreneurial in business and competitive practices, and club sports for some can be a way to test market, experiment and bring positive exposure and experience to campus life without many of the limitations of true varsity status. The big revenue driving sports will still be there and will still be, as some University presidents say, the “front porch” for engagement with a school by casual followers. If club sports are run well, maybe they can keep growing that little side entrance, especially with self-created and cost-efficient media opportunities, engaged and passionate students, and the right guidance and vision at the top.
All you have to do is look at rugby sevens and see what kind of club you can be in. It was a fun, engaged and extraordinarily successful run waiting to start up again with other sports as the haze clears in the coming years. Lots of upside and opportunity in a newly reimagined collegiate landscape.
