safety and well-being of the 475 student-athletes we support. The revenue generated by the department is necessary to provide the academic, medical, nutritional and athletic support that is relied upon by our student-athletes."

Seems like an overstatement??   What about the non student athletes?  How have they stayed safe and well all these years??

His financial argument is valid but adding this kind of rhetoric to support it goes too far for me.  His athletes are not going to be sick or die if there is no football.