By: Doug Lesmerises (Cleveland.com) –
Ohio State and Michigan working together to save money in their athletic departments? Times must be tough.

The two schools announced today that they will no longer print media guides for any of their athletic teams, and they hope other schools will follow their lead.

According to an Ohio State release, the move, effective immediately, will save about $250,000 per year.

The idea is that the schools can more effectively and efficiently get their messages out in ways other than media guides. And in recent years, the guides had moved from sources of information and history and records to another form of self-promotion, not only to fans but to recruits.

For instance, Ohio State’s 2008 football guide included five pages devoted to the media coverage of the Buckeyes; two pages on OSU’s pro day; eight pages on Buckeyes in the NFL; 11 pages on Buckeye legends; six pages on Buckeye greats; four pages on the Woody Hayes Athletic Center; eight pages of photos of game day; and four pages on traditions.

Each player also received his own page.

But the guide no longer included year-by-year team results, all-time lettermen, or individual and team passing, receiving, rushing and defensive records.

Those records were made available only in the spring media guide, which is what reporters covering the team used as a reference.

The NCAA several years ago passed a rule limiting guides to 208 pages after some schools went crazy with their guides, so when something had to go, it was the information that was left out, not the promotion.

So the move, which had been talked about at a conference and NCAA level, isn’t shocking. But for fans that have been collecting guides for decades, they’ll have to find something new to take up space in their basements.

Also, Ohio State’s 2008 football media guide devoted four pages specifically to the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry, those pages primarily used for large photos. Now those rivals have decided that fans wanting a reminder of that rivalry will have to get it another way.