With the success of Title IX in enlarging the numbers of women participating in sports at all levels, pressure is increasing to maintain fairness and balance in the funding of sports opportunities for men and women. A step toward a more equitable balance might be accomplished in the following manner.
Football is a sport with a long tradition at U.S. universities, and it is a part of our culture.
It is also a game which permits no more than 11 men on the field at one time. Beyond the fact that this just happened over time, there can be no rationale for these large numbers. I would like to suggest the following changes. Over a four year period the number of players who can participate in football should be reduced to 45, while allowing those on campus to continue to play. This will immediately reduce recruiting costs, which are not trivial.