Cutting Sports and Cutting Corners: The Effect of COVID-19 Sport Cuts on Title IX Compliance

College sports changed in March 2020 due to the fiscal impact of multiple seasons of lost revenue and increased health and safety costs created in part by a global pandemic. In the year following, NCAA institutions often looked to eliminating sponsorship of athletic teams to cut costs during a time of such financial instability. This article examines the impact of sport cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic on equity in participation opportunities, ultimately noting whether each institution that eliminated sports would likely be compliant with Title IX. Title IX was passed more than 50 years ago, and many colleges and universities are still non-compliant in providing equitable participation opportunities. College athletics is currently in a period of rapid change and fiscal uncertainty; this research provides a reminder and a road map for institutions to make programming decisions that will be compliant with Title IX in the future.