Problems for 1FBS?

[ysubigred]

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/Justice-Department-asks-NCAA-why-there-is-no-football-playoff-050411

WASHINGTON (AP)
The Justice Department wants to know why the NCAA doesn't have a college football playoff system and says there are ''serious questions" about whether the current format to determine a national champion complies with antitrust laws.

Critics who have urged the department to investigate the Bowl Championship Series contend it unfairly gives some schools preferential access to the title championship game and top-tier end-of-the-season bowl contents.

xnonono2xxhurrayx

[StorminASU]

Man, I love this news

[DetroitFlyer]

Maybe when the justice department is done with FBS they can investigate FCS to determine why a specific conference is denied access to the FCS playoffs.... The circumstances are not all that different.... Some teams and/or conferences receive preferential treatment, while others, (OK, read PFL), even though they meet EVERY requirement and have requested access, are DENIED!xmadx

[LBPop]

I know I am going to be in the minority on this, and as much as it hurts me to say it--President Obama got it right when he said, that he was going to to throw his weight around a little bit to nudge college football toward a playoff system. He's a sports fan and he's President, so he can get the attention of whomever he wants. That's fine and I would support him. But for the Attorney General of the United States to consider anti-trust action, it is way out of proportion. Yeah, yeah, I know that there is money involved and I personally would like to see a fairly run playoff. But where will this stop? Will BCS schools have their federal funds cut off because they aren't fair about their football championship? Go ahead and rip on me for this, but I am worn out by the idea that Uncle Sam has to fix everything. Pressure to correct this has been building in the marketplace and I think a playoff is inevitable...that's how it should happen.

[NHwildEcat]

I know I am going to be in the minority on this, and as much as it hurts me to say it--President Obama got it right when he said, that he was going to to throw his weight around a little bit to nudge college football toward a playoff system. He's a sports fan and he's President, so he can get the attention of whomever he wants. That's fine and I would support him. But for the Attorney General of the United States to consider anti-trust action, it is way out of proportion. Yeah, yeah, I know that there is money involved and I personally would like to see a fairly run playoff. But where will this stop? Will BCS schools have their federal funds cut off because they aren't fair about their football championship? Go ahead and rip on me for this, but I am worn out by the idea that Uncle Sam has to fix everything. Pressure to correct this has been building in the marketplace and I think a playoff is inevitable...that's how it should happen.

I don't disagree with you, but do you think it is fair for college football to be able to run their business in this manner, while most organizations have to follow federally mandated laws regarding essentially the same topic? I think it is a waste of money, but no matter what they are going to take the time to look into this, so we as fans of college football certainly have an interest in it so I hope they throw their weight and make some changes.

I think this may be the first step in the breaking down of the FCS/FBS classifications, I think eventually somewhere down the road we will be seeing one large Division 1 with a fairly large playoff system and some representation of equality in the chosing of the participants of the playoffs.

[gophoenix]

I all honesty, is this any different than:
1) FCS being created for this same reason
2) Pioneer being left out of FCS playoffs

Both could easily be argued the same way.

[AZGrizFan]

Ya'll think FCS football is irrelevant NOW? Our ONLY claim to fame is that we have REAL playoffs...if FBS gets a playoff system even remotely resembling FCS, FCS will become even more irrelevant than it already is to the vast majority of Americans.

Be careful what you wish for.

[49RFootballNow]

A multi-billion dollar industry involving mostly taxpayer funded and tax exempt institutions may actively be engaging in unfair buisness practices that exclude other taxpayer funded institutions from access to resources. Seems like the DoJ is doing their job to me by investigating the BCS.

[Tribe4SF]

I all honesty, is this any different than:
1) FCS being created for this same reason
2) Pioneer being left out of FCS playoffs

Both could easily be argued the same way.

I don't think that argument would be easy. The money issues simply aren't there for FCS, and its playoffs. Adding the Pioneer is fine with me. Go to 21 teams with five first round games, and 11 byes. Pair the extra first round winner against the #5 seed.

[henfan]

Of course Pioneer League teams are eligible for at-large bids, they just are not eligible for automatic bids. xreadx

The auto bid situation for the Pioneer can be easily remedied and hopefully that will get done when the NCAA next expands the size of the playoff field.

To try to draw an analogy between the BCS bowl & championship situation and the FCS is completely ridiculous, especially considering the money at stake in one vs. the lack of money in the other.xeyebrowx

[GlassOnion]

I don't think that argument would be easy. The money issues simply aren't there for FCS, and its playoffs. Adding the Pioneer is fine with me. Go to 21 teams with five first round games, and 11 byes. Pair the extra first round winner against the #5 seed.

Too many teams make it in as it is. Its getting as bad as bowl elidgability, are we going to have a 6-5 team getting in? Or the 9-3 Pioneer team that the 6-5 team destroyed?

[bojeta]

Maybe when the justice department is done with FBS they can investigate FCS to determine why a specific conference is denied access to the FCS playoffs.... The circumstances are not all that different.... Some teams and/or conferences receive preferential treatment, while others, (OK, read PFL), even though they meet EVERY requirement and have requested access, are DENIED!xmadx

I would like to see all conferences getting a shot, but I understand a few of the rules. For instance, the Great West Conference regularly produced teams worthy of the playoffs, but did not enjoy and auto birth due to the small conference size. Actually makes some sense because theoretically, it's easier to win your conference.
As for the Pioneer League, I believe it's a scholarship compliance issue.
As for the Ivy League, they choose not to participate which is a shame so enough said there.

[darell1976]

I wonder if the FBS will go back to the "A" name and just split so there will be 3 divisions in DI football..DI (BCS teams) DI-A (the rest of the FBS) and DI-AA (FCS).

[bojeta]

Of course Pioneer League teams are eligible for at-large bids, they just are not eligible for automatic bids. xreadx

The auto bid situation for the Pioneer can be easily remedied and hopefully that will get done when the NCAA next expands the size of the playoff field.

To try to draw an analogy between the BCS bowl & championship situation and the FCS is completely ridiculous, especially considering the money at stake in one vs. the lack of money in the other.xeyebrowx

I understand the money issue. It's important to say the least. I also understand the importance of the Bowl games. They provide incentives for teams and fans alike when the "perfect season" is no longer possible. I disagree, however, that both systems cannot co-exist. Make the bowl games part of the playoff structure. Teams will have an opportunity to advance to a bowl game. If they win, they can advance from there to the semi or quarter finals. Even the next round could be billed as a bowl game akin to the NFC and AFC championships following the Division championships. The final two teams are playing yet another Bowl for the national title. There are plenty of bowl games in existence to handle this structure. Both the FCS and FBS systems have approximatley 125-130 teams, so the shear number of teams is definitely not a factor either.

[jmufan999]

2 whole pages and rufus hasn't chimed in yet?

[LBPop]

A multi-billion dollar industry involving mostly taxpayer funded and tax exempt institutions may actively be engaging in unfair buisness practices that exclude other taxpayer funded institutions from access to resources. Seems like the DoJ is doing their job to me by investigating the BCS.

I am not a lawyer and perhaps you are--so I would naturally defer to you. Here are my questions:


Does unfair = illegal?
Does the BCS monopolize collegiate sports or could the NCAA create its own tournament? And couldn't a rival "tournament" be created? In basketball for many years the NIT was the big prize. Then the NCAA tournament became the "gold standard"--but the NIT lives on.
With any version of any athletic competition certain potential contestants will be eliminated based on some set of criteria. If the people who establish those criteria can defend them as being credible, does that eliminate the issue of anti-trust?
I truly don't know the answers to these and many other questions. But if this issue is really a legal issue, it is (as you suggest) because there is so much money involved. And it seems to me that even schools who are kept out of the BCS championship can still make a lot of money in one of the zillion other bowl games. I guess my real problem is that the "game" of football is already being poisoned by money. And now it's going look even more mercenary because the courts will get involved.

[GlassOnion]

I wonder if the FBS will go back to the "A" name and just split so there will be 3 divisions in DI football..DI (BCS teams) DI-A (the rest of the FBS) and DI-AA (FCS).

God I hope not. Im tired of all the smoke and mirror subscripts.

[cmaxwellgsu]

Maybe when the justice department is done with FBS they can investigate FCS to determine why a specific conference is denied access to the FCS playoffs.... The circumstances are not all that different.... Some teams and/or conferences receive preferential treatment, while others, (OK, read PFL), even though they meet EVERY requirement and have requested access, are DENIED!xmadx

Why not step and beat some of FCS's big boys before talking about the man? The playoffs are pretty going to get as watered down as the bowls, and teams that have an actual shot would sit home to give patsy conferences a bid.

[kperk014]

Yes go ahead and try to force a playoff system on FBS then watch for the reemergence of the College Football Association (CFA) of the '80s. Networks are not shelling out billions of dollars to televise Western Ky vs Akron. If the big boys bolt, the networks will be right behind them. Another fail for slick...I mean the prezident.

[bojeta]

Yes go ahead and try to force a playoff system on FBS then watch for the reemergence of the College Football Association (CFA) of the '80s. Networks are not shelling out billions of dollars to televise Western Ky vs Akron. If the big boys bolt, the networks will be right behind them. Another fail for slick...I mean the prezident.

No reason to leave the current bowl system behind. Include them in the playoffs. Networks don't have to televise every bowl game, but if W. KY wins their bowl and advances, then maybe the networks should be televising a broader ranch of schools. If they don't advance, who has suffered?

[kperk014]

No reason to leave the current bowl system behind. Include them in the playoffs. Networks don't have to televise every bowl game, but if W. KY wins their bowl and advances, then maybe the networks should be televising a broader ranch of schools. If they don't advance, who has suffered?

It's never gonna happen though. If a playoff happens the NCAA would gain control of the money. The bell cows of college football will not allow that to happen because THEY ARE the teams the nation tunes in to see and they know it. Why split the money with the Akrons and Bowling Greens by agreeing to a playoff system? It's all about the money.

[WestCoastAggie]

The elephant in the room is March Madness.

The main reason why the CFA didn't just flip the bird to the NCAA back in the 80's is because of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. It will be difficult for the BCS to build a tournament that will be able to generate the TV time that will merit the amount of money the NCAA is getting from CBS/Turner Broadcasting currently.

There is no telling how complicated it would be for CBS/Turner Broadcasting to break out of the new $10 Billion Deal they have with the NCAA.

So if they did decide to break away and form their own Collegiate Athletic Body, they have to pay for the Olympic sports and will have to deal with Title IX without the influx of Billions of dollars for a while. I Bet ESPN isn't paying $10 billion for just a BCS Tournament out of the gate. We can't forget that not every BCS school will make money just off of Football. Schools like Duke make most of their athletic revenue off of basketball and March Madness is a key component of that.

In the meantime, knowing that it will take years for CBS/Turner to break their March Madness contract, it will allow schools in the other Div-1 Conferences to get an influx of cash to further improve their facilities and compete for 5 star prospects in Football & Basketball.

So while the BCS will have to deal with a short-term cash shortfall, they will also have to deal with Title IX and paying for their Olympic sports and the possible P.R. nightmare this will have as well as getting Anti-Trust exemption and keeping their tax exempt status.

[cmaxwellgsu]

The elephant in the room is March Madness.

The main reason why the CFA didn't just flip the bird to the NCAA back in the 80's is because of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. It will be difficult for the BCS to build a tournament that will be able to generate the TV time that will merit the amount of money the NCAA is getting from CBS/Turner Broadcasting currently.

There is no telling how complicated it would be for CBS/Turner Broadcasting to break out of the new $10 Billion Deal they have with the NCAA.

So if they did decide to break away and form their own Collegiate Athletic Body, they have to pay for the Olympic sports and will have to deal with Title IX without the influx of Billions of dollars for a while. I Bet ESPN isn't paying $10 billion for just a BCS Tournament out of the gate. We can't forget that not every BCS school will make money just off of Football. Schools like Duke make most of their athletic revenue off of basketball and March Madness is a key component of that.

In the meantime, knowing that it will take years for CBS/Turner to break their March Madness contract, it will allow schools in the other Div-1 Conferences to get an influx of cash to further improve their facilities and compete for 5 star prospects in Football & Basketball.

So while the BCS will have to deal with a short-term cash shortfall, they will also have to deal with Title IX and paying for their Olympic sports and the possible P.R. nightmare this will have as well as getting Anti-Trust exemption and keeping their tax exempt status.

Those schools are the only problem though. The Big Six are mostly made up of football first schools, and the Big East is the only conference that would fight a football split. Since they are the weakest and least popular of the BCS, I'm sure the MWC wouldn't mind taking their place. They honestly own the NCAA over the issue, and both of them know it.

[gophoenix]

I don't think that argument would be easy. The money issues simply aren't there for FCS, and its playoffs. Adding the Pioneer is fine with me. Go to 21 teams with five first round games, and 11 byes. Pair the extra first round winner against the #5 seed.

I-AA wasreated for "cost containment" but at the end of the day 2/3 of the schools could fund FBS but could never fudge thw attendence numbers. In essence the case could be made that FCS in and of itself was created to keep schools out, the same argument they are investigating.

Problem is, campaign donors are mostly big university supporters.... Its political suicide to pursue this.

[bkrownd]

Make the bowl games part of the playoff structure.

No way. The bowls have already been corrupted by the BCS and over-expansion. If they are no longer the ultimate post-season destination then it's really time to put them to rest and not further diminish their historical significance.

[blaw0203]

Ya'll think FCS football is irrelevant NOW? Our ONLY claim to fame is that we have REAL playoffs...if FBS gets a playoff system even remotely resembling FCS, FCS will become even more irrelevant than it already is to the vast majority of Americans.

Be careful what you wish for.

The vast majority of Americans dont follow the FCS Playoffs. If FBS gets a playoff system, that will actually put more attention on FCS due to scheduling and tv contracts. FCS playoffs will be validated in a sense and would definitely obtain more attention.