Jonathan Zimmerman rightly bemoaned the wide disparity between the big-bucks sports teams and the less celebrated ones (“Commentary: Title IX hardly to blame when colleges decide to slash sports teams,” Jan. 14). The value systems of our institutions of higher learning are askew.

Some of the time there is a sex bias; all of the time there is a sport bias. In terms of expenditures (and profits), football muscles out rowing, and basketball dwarfs soccer.

Isn’t it ironic that it’s brawn over brains on our campuses? Can you imagine such large sums being spent on intellectual endeavors? Can you picture all the hoopla surrounding the Rose Bowl being replaced by a fanfare over the now-bankrupt TV “College Bowl”?

I’m not suggesting that they be equal, but I wish it were fair. We don’t all pay equal taxes, but the aim is that the amount of money each person puts in the U.S. coffers is a fair amount.

Why don’t colleges and universities do the same with sports teams? A portion of the easy-to-come-by revenues at big schools could support the non-lucrative sports teams.

America’s 1 percent certainly should help our homeless. Can’t football dynasties help the court-less? It’s a far cry from equal, but it’s a step toward fair.

Mike Berkowitz

Saco