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The Paris Olympics served up a few memorable moments, with Team USA showing off its prowess in both swimming and women’s gymnastics. In women’s artistic gymnastics, the athletes in Stars and Stripes snatched back the all-around and team titles, giving fans a reason to cheer. Meanwhile, the Team USA swimmers wrapped things up by grabbing the most medals, fending off challenges from Australia and China.
It was a two-sport showdown that helped the USA reign supreme in the medal count. But here’s the kicker: the majority of that talent for both sports stems from the same place—college competitions. Sounds like a winning formula, right? But wait, there’s a major difference in how swimming and gymnastics unfold at the college level. It’s so clear that even a 13-year-old could spot it. How, you ask?
The ongoing college duels make the picture crystal clear
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On January 5, Rick Simpson, head coach of Villanova University’s swimming team, dropped an interesting post on X. He shared that he and his 13-year-old daughter, who’s also a swimmer, had a blast watching the gymnastics duel between No. 13 University of Michigan and No. 12 Denver. The college gymnastics showdown took place at Magness Arena, packed with fans, and broadcast live on ESPN 2. Rick and his daughter got to enjoy the action from the comfort of their home. But as the event unfolded, it sparked a thought in the teenager’s mind. According to Simpson’s X-post, she said, “I wish swimming was on live like this.” And, unsurprisingly, Rick echoed the same sentiment. However, he also knew that, in the world of college sports, wishes don’t always match up with reality.
Rick Simpson’s reply to her was a mixed bag. He said, “Yea Me too. But swimming has a lotta growing up to do before you will see that.” Over in the comment section on his X post, swimming guru Kyle Sockwell kept the conversation going, adding, “Whole lotta growing up to do. Let’s keep doing it.” But was that about the broadcasting side of things? Well, when it comes to NCAA swimming, there’s a lot of distance left to cover. Take Sunday, for example—women’s gymnastics duels were live on ESPN 2. And here’s where the difference kicks in.
Last year, ESPN+ aired the four-day NCAA Division 1 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships. This year, it’s got the same gig for the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships. The key difference? Subscription rates. ESPN+ will set you back at least $120 for an annual pass, or about $12 per month. On the other hand, ESPN 2 doesn’t come with that kind of price tag.
With ESPN 2, you just need cable or satellite, and you’re good to go—no extra burden on your wallet. Plus, you can stream certain events live via the internet. But with ESPN+, the NCAA swimming champs are a bit more exclusive, and not everyone can get in on the action. So, could this whole broadcasting scene change drastically anytime soon? Not likely. Why?
The revenue is on the lower side
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On X, both Rick Simpson and Kyle Sockwell promoted the need to bring a holistic change to popularize college swimming. But the job is mountainous. Since 1993, several American universities have been slashing swimming and diving programs. The list includes names like the University of Maryland and the University of Washington. Clemson University also joined the league and announced the closing of the men’s and women’s swimming and men’s diving programs. Any reason? The lack of funds and the shortage of revenue. Last year, names like David Epstein spoke of a few more gloomy probabilities.
via Reuters Paris 2024 Olympics – Swimming – Men’s 50m Freestyle Final – Paris La Defense Arena, Nanterre, France – August 02, 2024. Cameron McEvoy of Australia in action as he wins gold alongside silver medallist Benjamin Proud of Britain REUTERS/Marko Djurica
In his interview with the Washington Post, Epstein didn’t mince words, claiming that diving and men’s swimming are taking the hit. According to him, these are considered non-revenue sports, and the NCAA seems keen on scaling back. “They’re going to reduce roster spots for diving. I have some colleagues who have already been told to stop recruiting, while others have been told that the verbal scholarship commitments they made to high school students a year ago, which aren’t binding until November, might not be honored. So it’s happening now, as we speak,” he said. With this in mind, the chance of a seismic shift in broadcasting is slim. So, for now, swimming fans may have to make do with fewer live opportunities to catch their favorite events.