In 1994, the NCAA Gender Equity Task Force recommended the creation of a list of emerging sports

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Question:

In 1994, the NCAA Gender Equity Task Force recommended the creation of a list of emerging sports for women to help athletics departments increase athletics opportunities. The list was soon established, and it included nine emerging sports: archery, badminton, bowling, ice hockey, rowing, squash, synchronized swimming, team handball, and water polo. As of 2012, only four of these sports have emerged as championship sports, and the other five have been taken off of the list due to insufficient interest to fulfill the requirements to become championship sports.

In order for a sport to rise to "emerging sport" status, it must meet the NCAA definition of a sport; cite 20 or more existing varsity or competitive club teams on college campuses; and demonstrate governing body support at the high school, professional, coach association, conference, or Olympic level. Finally, a mini- mum of 10 letters of commitment must be sub- mitted by the athletics director and president of institutions intending to sponsor the sport. Once on the list, an emerging sport has 10 years to demonstrate steady progress toward

championship status or meet the championship status requirement of being sponsored by 40 programs.

If a sport is removed from the list, it may be reinstated after at least 12 months through the same process; however, 15 letters of sup- port are needed, and they must address how conditions have changed since the initial trial period. Sports added to the list since the initial nine include equestrian, rugby, and sand volleyball. Triathlon and competitive cheer may be added soon.

Case Study Questions

1. Which sport currently on the emerging sport list do you think has the best chance of being elevated to championship status? Why?

2. If you were an athletics administrator who needed to increase participation numbers for women in your athletics department by adding a new sport, how might you determine which sport to add?