TCU forfeiting games reveals the ugly reality about the state of women’s basketball
Sometimes “Nobody cares” fits.
That cutting, demeaning put down explains why the TCU women’s basketball team could consider, much less implement, forfeiting two Big 12 games because of injuries.
If the TCU men’s basketball team wants to forfeit games because of injury, there would be no option. They play.
“That’s probably a fair statement,” Kansas State women’s basketball coach Jeff Mittie said in a phone interview. “When a lot of things get going, our game isn’t treated the same way.”
You want equal? You want to be treated the same? Barring tragedy, you play.
This week the TCU women’s basketball team announced that it would not play, thus forfeiting, its home game on Wednesday against No. 7 Kansas State, and on Saturday at No. 24 Iowa State.
A run of injuries forced the team to cancel the games, which it can under Big 12 laws.
This ain’t COVID. This is no tragedy. These are a run of freak injuries that happened during practice, or a game.
Also, if the game is on the schedule, you’re expected to field a team. Any team.
“It’s bizarre; I’ve never seen anything like this,” Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said after his team played Texas Tech, on Jan. 17. He’s only been in the women’s game since 1977.
He added, “I don’t understand the process of it.”
Here’s the process of it: “Nobody cares.”
TCU could do this because it’s women’s basketball.
Full disclaimer: I spent two years working for TCU as its women’s basketball media relations contact, from 1996 to ‘98. I have covered countless other women’s basketball games, and women’s sporting events; I am familiar with the struggle for attention these sports endure.
Whatever sexist rant you want to commence, can it. We need girls and women playing sports. Even if they lose money. Even if “nobody cares.”
TCU head coach Mark Campbell issued a statement, but did not respond to an interview request.
TCU director of athletics Jeremiah Donati said in a phone interview, “It is terribly unfortunate. This is not something we did lightly. I am proud of the team for how they have handled this adversity.
“It’s a great life lesson.”
The sad lesson is more people were interested in this story for TCU women’s basketball than when it started the season 14-0, and was ranked 23rd in the country.
According to people familiar with this decision, it left people at both Kansas State and Iowa State confused, at least. For ISU, which averages 9,800 fans per home game, this is at least a six-figure loss of revenue.
For KState, it’s a loss of about $50,000 in travel costs, and is a giant waste of time.
It’s 2024, while “Nobody cares” is always a case of sarcasm, for women’s basketball that remark can still apply. It does here.
Somebody always cares. The players. Families. Some fans.
They’re not nobody. They’re just not enough.
TCU averages about 2,000 fans per home game, and you can bet that figure is on the generous side. TCU is no different than MLB, NHL, NBA and a long list of NCAA schools that use “fuzzy math” to report attendance.
During COVID, these sorts of cancellations were frequent. If one of the consequences of that time was to condition players, coaches and fans that “forfeiting a game” is OK, we need to collectively unlearn that trend.
“I don’t think we should ever have this happen again,” Mittie said. “Now isn’t the time to have this discussion, but the Big 12 has to play a part on this.
“There is too much money in college athletics now. There are only so many games these young people get an opportunity to play. We had players miss a game they were excited about playing.”
By the rule of the Big 12, TCU could do this because it didn’t have enough players healthy enough to play. TCU might have been able to go with about 6, or 6 1/2 players (ish). Barely.
Also, you play.
No different than when seemingly 2/3 of the Florida State football team “opted out” (i.e. quit) rather than play Georgia in the Orange Bowl.
UGA won 63-3 in a disgraceful afternoon, but you’ll notice there was a game. Because it’s football.
Non-conference college football schedules are set five to eight years in advance, but, because people cared, in 2020, Coastal Carolina and BYU agreed to play a football game on three days notice.
In November of 2004, the Indiana Pacers dressed six healthy players to play less than 24 hours after the “Malice at the Palice” in Detroit.
Forfeiting was never a consideration, because the NBA, and its broadcast partners, would never have allowed it. The Pacers nearly beat the Magic, losing by 3.
TCU hosting K-State in a Big 12 game is not an NBA game. But they are games on the schedule.
Not long after the announcement was made, TCU held open tryouts for walk-ons. Campbell prefers not to have walk-ons, so he has a thin bench.
This is why you have walk-ons (that and their GPA).
The people who play, coach and are involved in women’s sports justifiably fight to be treated the same.
They will when revenue sharing is implemented in major college athletics, and the women’s soccer player, or men’s diver, will receive the same check as the starting quarterback.
If you are one who will benefit from this double standard, just be sure that when the game is on the schedule you at least play.
Because “Nobody cares” can’t be a reason.
This story was originally published January 19, 2024 at 3:46 PM.
