What's going on with Pennsylvania college baseball?

Chances are the college is losing money on baseball. It made a safe, cowering, early decision. The next step will be dropping the program.

If I’m a coach at a college that decided not to play for two years I wouldn’t feel very secure about my job. I would be looking for a new one. Once the program doesn’t have a coach and can only hire an inexperienced, risky choice dumping the program is an easy next decision.

I’ll bet across the various levels there will be at least one hundred less college baseball programs by 2023.

Wow, that's dire. What is going to happen to these players and the incoming recruiting class? When did flattening the curve become ZERO risk tolerance at all? Do these schools know something we don't?

A huge loss in the number of programs has been widely predicted by many that are involved in operating college baseball. If I was looking for a place to play anytime from now going forward I would want to give careful consideration (at any school) to the financial stability of both the athletic department and the school in general. If a school shows a hard trend towards virtual learning I would see that as a red flag. If student enrollment were to drop sharply (resulting in loss of tuition) I would view that as a warning sign as well. Proven, stable coaches leaving a program without incident would be another cause for concern. So IMO the recruiting road has gotten much trickier to navigate. If I was presented with an acceptable option I would not hesitate to accept quickly, assuming the school passes muster. Only the top stud recruits will have the kind of options people are accustomed to seeing. Everyone else will not be so fortunate. I talked to coaches at 3 different schools  last night and ALL 3 said they don’t need any more players and can’t even imagine bringing in another recruiting class - they can’t manage the number of players they already have.

Bloomsburg 2019

10 year Financials

California (PA) 2019

10 year Financials

Francis, have you read the news the last eight months?    Colleges across the country (and beyond) are taking a huge hit with Covid.  Pressure to reduce tuition due to less in-person classes, further lack of differentiation from competitors, diminished "experience" for students, added costs to implement Covid guidelines, related issues and concerns with employees, inability to roll out sports and other extracurricular programs and on and on. 

I don't think there is any university in the country that isn't feeling the financial pain and looking to evaluate how to address the shortcomings.  There will be casualties.  Some colleges and universities will close all together.  Some will drop some sports programs (and/or other extracurriculars).  Some schools will look further out than just the next few months, knowing they will have to have answers for their nervous board members.  Some are more financially set to weather the storm more than others.  Many were in tenuous positions before Covid.

An added element to the recruiting process will now be evaluation of the financial viability of the college as well as analysis of the likelihood of continuation of the sport one participates in.  You will hate this part - it won't be easy to determine and even if you do thorough research, there will be surprises.

Clarion 2019

10 year Financials

East Stroudsburg 2019

10 year Financials

Gannon 2019

10 year Financials

Indiana (PA)

10 Year Financials

Kutztown 2019

10 Year Financials

Lock Haven 2019

10 Year Financials

Mansfield 2019

10 Year Financial

Mercyhurst 2019

10 year Financials

Millersville 2019

10 Year Financials

Pitt-Johnstown 2019

10 Year Financials

@cabbagedad posted:

Francis, have you read the news the last eight months?    Colleges across the country (and beyond) are taking a huge hit with Covid.  Pressure to reduce tuition due to less in-person classes, further lack of differentiation from competitors, diminished "experience" for students, added costs to implement Covid guidelines, related issues and concerns with employees, inability to roll out sports and other extracurricular programs and on and on.

I don't think there is any university in the country that isn't feeling the financial pain and looking to evaluate how to address the shortcomings.  There will be casualties.  Some colleges and universities will close all together.  Some will drop some sports programs (and/or other extracurriculars).  Some schools will look further out than just the next few months, knowing they will have to have answers for their nervous board members.  Some are more financially set to weather the storm more than others.  Many were in tenuous positions before Covid.

An added element to the recruiting process will now be evaluation of the financial viability of the college as well as analysis of the likelihood of continuation of the sport one participates in.  You will hate this part - it won't be easy to determine and even if you do thorough research, there will be surprises.

@cabbagedad

I agree with your points, there will be surprises, which IMHO is like finding out about somebody getting a surprise birthday party.

You know your DOB, you know every year that you have a birthday, the decision to provide you a surprise birthday party is to hold back pertinent information about the party.

With respects to financial viability, it depends on what is considered thorough research, what is available to the public vs what is agreed upon in private.

As we always say "Follow the Money".

Seton Hill 2019

10 Year Financials

Shepherd 2019

10 Year Financials