[qwerty49]

The reason Stanford should play big-time football is to be Stanford, not Harvard of the West.  The world doesn't need a Harvard of the West.

Reading further, for the Power 5 and maybe high end G5 schools, they have three somewhat related purposes:

1. In exchange for tuition and fees, providing an 'amenity-rich' experience that includes an opportunity for education that culminates in a credential.

2. Conducting world-class research.

3. Hosting a professional football program, which offers another amenity to the students, but stands on its own as a core university function. Universities sponsor other sports, but "nothing remotely compares to the importance of football."

Of the three things listed above, Stanford's priority is far and away the second. being a world-class research institution. Their bread and butter, federally funded research has turned Stanford into a graduate-centric university.  Can the first and third items coexist with this?  Of course.  The first item - let's call it No Fun Stanford - is a topic for another thread.  The third item - Power 5 football - feels existential now. But is it? Of course not.

Sixty percent of the nation's research university behemoths play in Power 5 conferences. Only one of these is looking at relegation. Absent the Pac 8/10/12, Stanford clearly wants to associate with the B1G or ACC.  However, 40 percent is not insignificant and there is no evidence that with or without Power 5 football, Stanford's gravy train is affected. It sure doesn't hurt to play P5 football though.

At this point Stanford's choice isn't so much what it wants to do with sports, its choice is how best to survive until they are in a better position to choose, even if they ultimately choose to get out of the game.

You bring up really good points.  I have long been dismayed by the differences between the undergrad and graduate programs at Stanford (I've been through both.)  Not just the experience, but also the differences in mission.  The current (outgoing?) administration clearly seems to favor "research" over "education."  That trickles down to an indifference toward sports, and to any non-classroom experience in general.

I am not convinced that researchers and teachers (ie MTL, Drell) make the best university managers in this modern world.  People running the show today need to have a sense of branding, marketing, and the realities of business economics.  They can keep the ceremonial part, but need to delegate and step aside to someone who knows what they are doing.

Good grief, it's "The Times They Are A-Changin" all over again.

"...Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall..."

[qwerty49]

The reason Stanford should play big-time football is to be Stanford, not Harvard of the West.  The world doesn't need a Harvard of the West.

Reading further, for the Power 5 and maybe high end G5 schools, they have three somewhat related purposes:

1. In exchange for tuition and fees, providing an 'amenity-rich' experience that includes an opportunity for education that culminates in a credential.

2. Conducting world-class research.

3. Hosting a professional football program, which offers another amenity to the students, but stands on its own as a core university function. Universities sponsor other sports, but "nothing remotely compares to the importance of football."

Of the three things listed above, Stanford's priority is far and away the second. being a world-class research institution. Their bread and butter, federally funded research has turned Stanford into a graduate-centric university.  Can the first and third items coexist with this?  Of course.  The first item - let's call it No Fun Stanford - is a topic for another thread.  The third item - Power 5 football - feels existential now. But is it? Of course not.

Sixty percent of the nation's research university behemoths play in Power 5 conferences. Only one of these is looking at relegation. Absent the Pac 8/10/12, Stanford clearly wants to associate with the B1G or ACC.  However, 40 percent is not insignificant and there is no evidence that with or without Power 5 football, Stanford's gravy train is affected. It sure doesn't hurt to play P5 football though.

At this point Stanford's choice isn't so much what it wants to do with sports, its choice is how best to survive until they are in a better position to choose, even if they ultimately choose to get out of the game.

You bring up really good points.  I have long been dismayed by the differences between the undergrad and graduate programs at Stanford (I've been through both.)  Not just the experience, but also the differences in mission.  The current (outgoing?) administration clearly seems to favor "research" over "education."  That trickles down to an indifference toward sports, and to any non-classroom experience in general.

I am not convinced that researchers and teachers (ie MTL, Drell) make the best university managers in this modern world.  People running the show today need to have a sense of branding, marketing, and the realities of business economics.  They can keep the ceremonial part, but need to delegate and step aside to someone who knows what they are doing.

Good grief, it's "The Times They Are A-Changin" all over again.

"...Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall..."