US Justice Department to NCAA: Why is there not a playoff?

Sgt John

Sgt John

Sith Lord of T&A
NCAA tells Department of Justice to ask BCS about why there's no college football playoff - ESPN


WASHINGTON -- NCAA president Mark Emmert told the Justice Department on Wednesday that its questions about the lack of a playoff system for college football are best directed to another group -- the Bowl Championship Series.
Other than licensing the postseason bowls, "the NCAA has no role to play in the BCS or the BCS system," Emmert wrote in a letter to the department's antitrust chief, Christine Varney. He added that short of member colleges and universities discontinuing the BCS and proposing an NCAA championship, "there is no directive for the (NCAA) to establish a playoff."
In a letter two weeks ago, Varney told Emmert that "serious questions continue to arise suggesting the current Bowl Championship Series system may not be conducted consistent with the competition principles expressed in the federal antitrust laws." Critics who have urged the department to investigate the BCS contend it unfairly gives some schools preferential access to the title game and lucrative, top-tier bowls at the end of the season.
"Your views would be relevant in helping us to determine the best course of action with regard to the BCS," Varney wrote.
Emmert's comments about the role of the NCAA were in response to Varney's questions about why a playoff system isn't used in football, unlike in other sports, and what steps the NCAA has taken to create one.
Varney also asked whether there are aspects of the BCS system that don't serve the interest of fans, schools and players and to what extent an alternative could better serve those interests.
"These questions can best be answered by the BCS and the group of institutions that operate the BCS system," Emmert wrote.
He said that because the BCS system doesn't fall under the NCAA's purview, it was not appropriate for him to offer views on the system for crowning college football's championship.
Justice Department spokeswoman Gina Talamona said that the department would continue to review all information related to the issue.
Bill Hancock, the executive director of the BCS, said he hadn't seen the NCAA's letter but was confident that it was responsive to the Justice Department's questions.
"We're confident the BCS complies with the law and we know it has been very good for college football. We're always happy to answer any questions," he added.
Hancock had previously said that it was a waste of taxpayers' money for the government to look into the BCS. "
Matthew Sanderson, co-founder of Playoff PAC, which wants the BCS replaced with a championship playoff system, said he wasn't surprised by the NCAA response.
"The NCAA has now confirmed no private solution to this problem exists. It will need to be solved through other means," Sanderson said, referring to a lawsuit.
The NCAA letter comes as a new IRS filing by the Allstate Sugar Bowl shows it paid its CEO just under $600,000 in 2009. Last year, Playoff PAC filed a complaint with the IRS against the Sugar, Tostitos Fiesta and Discover Orange Bowls, claiming they violated their tax-exempt status. It called Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan's compensation excessive. The three bowls along with the Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio rotate hosting the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.
The attorney general of Utah, Mark Shurtleff, has said he plans to file an antitrust lawsuit against the BCS.
Before he was sworn in as president, Barack Obama said in 2008 that he was going to "to throw my weight around a little bit" to nudge college football toward a playoff system.
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Hmmmmmm
 
Zach

Zach

Active Member
Why exactly is this something the Justice Department needs to get involved in? Seriously - regardless of your position on the subject its still just college sports.
 
Miller

Miller

Who Dey
Administrator
yeah, it comes down to a $$ thing as does most...but I still agree with Zach, I think there are bigger issues they could be looking at rather than the BCS.
 
catman

catman

Baseball "Expert"
Moderator
I agree with Zach and Miller. There are a lot of $$$ in play, but these are amateurs, not professionals we are talking about. The Justice Department has a lot of other, more pressing things to accomplish.
 
Zach

Zach

Active Member
What I am not seeing is some sort of violation of any sort of law here... so some people want a playoff... those in power do not want a playoff - exactly what does that have to do with the rule of law?
 
Remote Controller

Remote Controller

Well-Known Member
Miller said:
yeah, it comes down to a $$ thing as does most...but I still agree with Zach, I think there are bigger issues they could be looking at rather than the BCS.
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I agree....Holder and the justice Dept. better start working on Obama's re-election and fix the NFL lock-out situation!
 
Zach

Zach

Active Member
Sgt John said:
Read up on the Sherman Anti-Trust act.
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Honestly I suggest you do.

Those that are "Div 1 A" are there because they choose to be so. If having a playoff for a National Champion in football is so important to any college or University they have the option of going to a different classification. The majority of college football teams in this country have a playoff system in place to determine a national champion - hence no anti-trust violation when a university volunteers to be a classification that does not have a play off system.
 
Sgt John

Sgt John

Sith Lord of T&A
By that statement your implying large corporations cant violate the act because they choose to be large corporations. Youre smarter than this, and Im sure you can provide me something that backs up your statement, including legal precidents.
 
Zach

Zach

Active Member
I love tax money at work.

Lets ask people that have no say in the issue (the NCAA) ... then lets ask the next group of people that have no say in the issue (the BCS)... and lets completely ignore the people that decide - the Presidents of the Universities involved.

Lets say the Justice Department comes down on the BCS and says its not fair and you have to do it this way or that way.

Next step will be the Big Ten and Pac Ten dropping out of the BCS. I am sure other conferences would follow - but those two are the power conferences that lead the way on this issue. They have their game - they really do not need the BCS.

Now you have no BCS and we are back to the old way.
 
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