Our problem with Title IX is not its principles, but its practicality. Gender equity is a noble aim for society in general and college athletics in particular. It reflects our national passion for fairness, and our ever-expanding enlightenment.
Trouble is, the egalitarian ideal inevitably clashes with free-market realities.
To achieve gender equity on the playing fields of America's campuses, you must first renounce capitalism and embrace socialism. You must decide that a hugely profitable football program is of no greater value to a university than a field hockey team that performs primarily for parents. You must decide that balancing the scales of opportunity is a greater goal than balancing the books. In upholding the philosophical tenets of Title IX, the courts have repeatedly ignored its economic implications. They have promoted the subsidy of women's sports at the expense of profitable men's programs.