Sorry for the length. This issue is not as simple as asking, "Why isn't softball in the equation?"
If you have followed this issue for a long time, you understand the complexity of the issue and why the NCAA HQ's in Indianaplolis has been unable to implement timely and responsible change.
The SEC, lead by Commissioner Sankey has advocated for and basically demanded that the NCAA's admin recognize and address the inadequacy of scholarships for baseball, perhaps the fastest growing sport in the NCAA's catalog. Yet the NCAA has been paralyzed into inaction from NIL and portal issues to lawsuits from every quarter. The NCAA ( for what ever reason) believes that their one size fits all approach will win out in the end.
In the mean time, Sankey has moved on. By forming an alliance with the BIG ( former Big 10) conference to develop solutions to real problems that effect the Power 4 ( former power 5) Conferences, such as number of scholarships for under leveraged programs. Of course mid-majors and lower level conferences are not in favor of this greatly needed change. They will vote against the new scholarship numbers and complain that they are being priced out of the market place. They are and that is not necessarily a bad thing.
The power 4 conferences need a separate and distinct admin, that is not whetted to old ideas. College sports are in a new and dynamic environment, where change will be routine. The old and sluggish NCAA bureaucracy needs to be dismantled and thrown on the trash heap of history.
To the writers of post lamenting the lack of systematic fairness for female sports, understand we all know what has to be accomplished and we will get there. But change usually starts with a snowball rolling down a hill and avalanches follow!
d1baseball.com
