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Today’s Case

Loyola Marymount cuts sports, citing NIL concerns

NIL is taking on a more serious role than previously imagined.

Last month, Loyola Marymount announced that it is set to cut six sports after this athletic year. The reason? The school cited changing transfer rules, but perhaps more importantly new rules regarding NIL, in addition to what it called “pending rulings on student-athletes as employees.”

With the decision, 115 student-athletes in six sports will be impacted — men’s rowing, cross-country and track and field, along with women’s rowing, swimming and track and field. The impact will also be felt by the programs’ five full-time coaches and two part-time coaches.

LMU’s athletic director Craig Pintens wrote in a press release that the school’s “goal is to provide the best student-athlete experience possible, and we are better positioned to achieve our objectives when we concentrate our finite resources on fewer programs.” This came after a lengthy review of all sports programs and that the cuts would bring LMU’s athletic programs to 14, the NCAA Division I minimum.

Pintens told the Los Angeles Times that LMU boosters have set up an independent collective and has hired a new staff member to handle NIL matters.

The Verdict

• Is NIL the culprit or the scapegoat?

  • While NIL seems to be an easy excuse for programs to be cut, I don’t feel this is entirely true.

    • Sometimes, athletic departments overspend for facilities and programs and don’t have enough resources in place for program success. (Admin, coaches, etc.)

    • Yes, NIL dollars are important. But it shouldn’t be the reason why programs are cut.

  • The issue of student-athletes potentially becoming employees is completely valid - and LMU is preparing for that situation now to avoid issues later.

• This is a real scenario with long-term implications

  • Unfortunately, this may be the first domino to fall for mid-major and low-major programs. While many athletic departments operate at a loss, they may look to lessen their financial strain by cutting programs.

  • Can NIL help solve these issues? Perhaps - but it will take a substantial amount of time and money, and might not solve every problem.

BYU golfer Keanu Akina uses NIL to give back

Akina and his brother partner with clothing company &Collar to provide shirts to kids affected by the Maui wildfires. Check out this video for more!

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