[fullmetal]

The conference football/basketball TV rights bring in millions of dollars to each member institution each year, and that money subsidizes all other sports.  While individual sports might be fully endowed, the athletic department general operations is probably not, and they have not been shy about adding headcount and raising salaries over the last several years...we would need regular income to replace those D1 Power Five football dollars.

I don't think Stanford can survive as 35 strong or without D1 football revenue.  

Tradition matters as long as the core mission of the university matters.  These days, the university is a convenient tax shield attached to a football program.

Entertainment/consumption and the associated money are all that matter now :(

[fullmetal]

The conference football/basketball TV rights bring in millions of dollars to each member institution each year, and that money subsidizes all other sports.  While individual sports might be fully endowed, the athletic department general operations is probably not, and they have not been shy about adding headcount and raising salaries over the last several years...we would need regular income to replace those D1 Power Five football dollars.

I don't think Stanford can survive as 35 strong or without D1 football revenue.  

Tradition matters as long as the core mission of the university matters.  These days, the university is a convenient tax shield attached to a football program.

Entertainment/consumption and the associated money are all that matter now :(