Sandy Barbour announced the hiatus of the Coaches Caravan event held in the spring on ESPN Radio 1450 with Steve Jones earlier Wednesday afternoon. “We are going to take a hiatus on the Caravan this spring,” Barbour said to Jones.

The Caravan typically stops in areas across Pennsylvania, while making stops in large metro areas like New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C., etc. It’s a great opportunity for the athletic department to formally interact with fans and alumni alike. The Caravan’s stop volume decreased since 2012, with the figure reaching 12 total stops in 2013. Nothing can be confirmed, but that number was likely to continue dropping, per 247’s Jeff Rice.

Barbour cited the current state budget impasse as a significant factor in the decision to pause the event for 2016. Although athletic money is separate from the school, Barbour stated it was “prudent to not hold the event this spring.”

There are certainly additional factors that went into the decision to cancel such a prominent event, but the move by the athletic department could be perceived as a good look as Harrisburg continues to extend its budget stalemate.