To the editor:
Recent articles in the Journal-World have focused on KU's plan to invest $30 million to upgrade Memorial Stadium to help the football program. According to Lew Perkins, "This facility will help KU be more competitive with other Big 12 programs ... (and) will free up space ... for other sports, especially our women's athletics programs."
Perkins' statement that women's sports will benefit from the $30 million in upgrades is misleading. While moving football to the stadium will open up space, it's absurd to suggest the women's teams will reap any benefit from this $30 million investment. To truly benefit other sports, the athletic department needs to ask the same big-money donors to help improve other facilities.
While the football team is 3-7, the nationally ranked women's soccer team won a Big 12 championship. Despite its success, the team uses facilities that are inadequate. They have no lights, permanent rest rooms (they use portable facilities) or concessions. I think KU should improve the football facilities, but maybe they could find some money to upgrade other facilities as well so that other sports can also continue to compete for Big 12 championships.
The athletic department needs to stop trying to justify this $30 million investment as beneficial to other sports. If they are committed to improving the other sports, then make an effort to get it done. The notion that money will trickle down to the other sports from football is unfounded and not realistic.
Jason Pendleton,
Lawrence
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