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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Another problem with athletic recruiting is that they choose some random obsolete sports like lacrosse or rowing that no one cares or watches.

What happens to someone who is really good at ping pong?  Or badminton?  Think about how popular they are in the rest of the world, e.g., in India.  But no, colleges don’t care at all.  So they are not about what they say this is about.

It’s all about getting white DEI at place. [/quote]Colleges operating in America naturally reflect American sports culture, just as universities elsewhere prioritize their own regional traditions. This isn't bias, it's context. Your underlying accessibility critique also cuts both ways: becoming elite at table tennis or badminton requires expensive specialized coaching, equipment, and tournament travel, not just casual play.

And lacrosse specifically shouldn't be dismissed as elitist when it's a traditional Native American sport providing collegiate opportunities for indigenous students, and it has genuinely expanded as a youth sport across different communities. Colleges reasonably value sports that build campus community, connect with alumni networks, and have established competitive infrastructure. Expecting schools to treat niche sports (in the American context) equally to established American sports is absurd; it's asking colleges to ignore their cultural context and the practical realities of building athletic programs that serve their communities.
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