by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman
Next to March Madness, the second highest revenue producer for the National Collegiate Athletic Association is the annual College World Series in Omaha. However, at colleges, baseball is having bad times.
Both Northern Iowa and Vermont Universities have announced that they’re eliminating their programs next year. The University of Massachusetts at Amherst, which started its team in 1877, and has sent 18 players to major leagues, considered doing the same.
Empty seats, budget cutbacks, fewer scholarships and donations have made college baseball problematic and, some teams have been penalized by the NCAA because baseball is the worst-performing sport in terms of academics.
Only two of the top 25 teams ranked by “Baseball America” magazine came from the north. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, it’s been suggested that, because weather plays such an important role, that the season start in April instead of February and run through to August, giving professional teams a better chance to evaluate talent.
The longer season might help the popularity of college baseball and assure its future.
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