The quiet collapse: Diving in crisis from grassroots to the Olympics
While much of the sports world has focused on the high-profile headlines surrounding House v. NCAA, NIL deals and the fight for equitable athlete compensation, another story has been unfolding in the background -- quieter, but no less devastating. The sport of diving is under threat, and its future -- from local pools to Olympic podiums -- hangs in the balance.
Across the country, diving programs are being cut at the collegiate level. Facilities are closing. Rosters are shrinking. Scholarships are disappearing. And with them, the hopes and dreams of the next generation of divers are vanishing, too.
This isn’t just a story about budget spreadsheets and lawsuits. It’s about how the shifting landscape of college athletics -- intended to uplift athletes -- is inadvertently destroying an Olympic pipeline, damaging grassroots access and dismantling opportunities for young people whose dreams start on a springboard.
At the core of this crisis is House v. NCAA, a landmark case that’s expected to result in major revenue sharing with college athletes. While progress toward equitable compensation is necessary and long overdue, the financial burden it creates is pushing athletic departments to make tough decisions -- often at the expense of smaller, non-revenue sports like diving.
With athletic budgets stretched thin, and additional millions now........
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