<p>The administration told the team last Friday after the last home game. In today's Boston.com the comments reveal an interesting level of apathy on the one hand, and near jubilation (from non-fans) on the other. It seems that NEU figured that its rival, Boston University, did the same thing years ago and no applicants complain about that today.</p>
<p>It’s all about hockey.</p>
<p>The joke in our house is that the football teams from both D’s school and my alma mater haven’t lost a game in years as both schools discontinued football ages ago. No big deal as far as we are concerned.</p>
<p>Seems to be a smart decision by Northeastern. Supporting a football team in Div 1-AA is not cheap. Drawing only 1,600 to a home game (if that is typical) isn’t worth the cost. I think more will follow.</p>
<p>My son is at NEU and this is how I find out they dropped football? We went to one football game, parents day his freshman year. It was underwhelming to say the least. Had all the atmosphere and trappings of a lousy high school game. They played at a field away from the NEU campus. It really was like a high school facility and game… without the high school spirit. There was one very loud and vocal heckler who wouldn’t let up on the coach. When he was asked to tone it down he replied that as a 20 year long suffering NEU fan he earned the right to complain! It was comical, and sad. And of course the team looked horrible.</p>
<p>Neither of my kids went to a college with a football team and both seem to have survived just fine. One school has a GREAT soccer team, and the other has that hockey team referred to above:)</p>
<p>I always felt a little bad about not going to the NU games. Yeah, they weren’t good but I still felt bad about not supporting the team. The problem with football is that it just requires so many talented kids to make for a successful program. 3+ million dollars per year for a losing team (year after year) plus 10 coaches for 87 players? Money and effort better spent elsewhere.</p>
<p>At least our admission stats will be going up. ;)</p>
<p>I wonder how that plays a role in any scholarships that were given to those football players. Are they now out those scholarships?</p>
<p>School told them they keep their scholarships if they wish to finish at NU. Also said they would actively assist any players who wish to transfer elsewhere.</p>
<p>Sad to see but if the students and community aren’t supporting it there is no point to having the team. You at least need to break even in revenues to justify the costs anymore. </p>
<p>I wonder if they will cut some womens sports now since they will probably have more womens scholarships thanks to title 9?</p>
<p>I personally love College Football and think the experience added a lot to my college days. The education was no different but the experience was great and those games still bring me back to campus a few times a year. I doubt I would have enjoyed college as much without it.</p>
<p>To each their own.</p>
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<p>If you do the math, it really isn’t that outrageous. At my school the other sports all have at least 3 coaches. Some of those sports have as few as 13 for 3 coaches.</p>
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<p>I wonder if the NCAA doesn’t require it? I do know that if the school drops a sport, those players can transfer without penalty from the NCAA. </p>
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<p>I don’t know the numbers of the specific school, but for most schools this would actually cause them to be much closer to compliance of Title IX. </p>
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<p>I love college football too, but I’d have to agree with you. If the community doesn’t come out and the team is bad, why waste the time and money? On the other hand, the football team shouldn’t get all the blame for being bad either. If the community cared, then maybe they wouldn’t be so bad… it goes in circles…</p>
<p>all 3 of my boys ended up at schools without football (Emory, University of Denver, and American University)</p>
<p>sometimes they do find a lack of school spirit. Emory has none, as far as sports-related. At Denver, it’s all about hockey. At AU, my son goes to soccer games and also to basketball games. But he’s probably a distinct minority.</p>
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<p>Well, Lehigh has a winning football tradition and they only have 12 coaches. To pull that many coaches at Lehigh that includes not just a Defensive Backs coach but an Assistant Defensive Backs coach not just an Offensive Line Coach but a Assistant Offensive Line coach. That’s fine if it keeps Alums happy and writing checks but obviously that glut of coaches wasn’t keeping many of my fellow NU alums writing checks.</p>
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<p>That would only be about two dozen universities in America. The rest subsidize football as well as other sports.</p>
<p>Would have to see the numbers gadad. I suspect it is more than that but certainly a minority.</p>
<p>Point being if the students and community are not supporting the program then it is not worth having if it is losing money. In many schools students have voted in favor of a student fee to support the football team and that shows the support needed to keep the program.</p>
<p>I suspect we may see a few dozen small schools drop several sports before this is all over.</p>
<p>As ebeeee said, it is all about hockey. Glad to read that they are letting it go, it makes no sense to hold onto to a team that is losing money and is not supported by the community. I live in the Boston area and go to many college games, I have never been to a NU football game.</p>
<p>Oh man, I read the caption fast as Northwestern eliminates football. Talk about pigs flying.</p>
<p>DS at NEU yesterday texted me “first smart thing NEU has done in years.”
Ah youth railing at bureaucracy. They will learn soon enough.</p>
<p>Is football a particularly expensive sport? I guess with all that equipment? I don’t know. I only have daughters, neither of who like football all that much. Both love hockey, basketball and soccer to watch, though. H played hockey in college, so that might be a factor.</p>
<p>The gap between expenses and revenue for the two levels of D1 football can be staggering:</p>
<p>[Footballs</a> loss a win for NU students - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/11/24/footballs_loss_a_win_for_nu_students/]Footballs”>http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/11/24/footballs_loss_a_win_for_nu_students/)</p>
<p>[Northeastern:</a> A teams inevitable fate - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/11/24/northeastern_a_teams_inevitable_fate/]Northeastern:”>http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/11/24/northeastern_a_teams_inevitable_fate/)</p>