http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/f...52875162/1

NCAA Division I governance to be examined
By Steve Wieberg and Thomas O'Toole, USA TODAY

The NCAA will look this summer at retooling its Division I governance structure amid what some officials say is growing sentiment to further split its top football-playing schools.

Association President Mark Emmert said Sunday he'll appoint a working group to examine the issue, stressing it will focus on "the way in which Division I is organized for the purposes of making decisions" - and not on a competitive format that now groups football programs into bowl and lower-tier championship subdivisions.

Among other things, Emmert said in response to questions from USA TODAY about the division's future, the panel will look at the makeup of the board of directors and ensuring that non-football schools and those in the championship subdivision are properly represented. The action was requested by the Division I board at the NCAA convention earlier this month.

"There are inherent tensions in the structure, and always have been," Emmert said.

Multiple officials who have been in meetings with Emmert, his staff and NCAA boards are more bullish about the potential for a Division I split. Speaking on the condition of anonymity in advance of Emmert's comments Sunday, they said he has indicated he wants to examine the merits and mechanics of further subdivision if not explicitly push for it. A number of presidents and chancellors on the Division I board voiced similar sentiment earlier this month in the wake of the delay or defeat of several reforms backed by the board, the officials said.

One of those measure would allow up to a $2,000 stipend beyond the value of a full athletics scholarship. Another would permit schools to award multi-year scholarships rather than one-year renewable grants.

"There's no doubt," Emmert said, "that these initiatives and these reforms have exacerbated some of those tensions." But it would be a "complete mischaracterization," he insisted, to say he is pushing for a discussion of a new division. There is a difference between governance and competitive structures, Emmert said.

Some kind of split of Division I has long been speculated — most popularly breaking out its six marquee football conferences and Notre Dame— as its membership has swelled to 338 schools and financial and political divisions have widened.

The NCAA has operated in its current structure for nearly 3 1/2 decades. The more than 1,000 school association formed Divisions I, II and III in 1973, and separated the football-playing members of Division I into what now are known as the bowl and championship subdivisions in 1978.

Disparities in the 120-member bowl subdivision have grown increasingly pronounced since then. Individual schools' athletics revenues ranged from $3.8 million to nearly $144 million in 2010, according to the NCAA, prompting the less wealthy to lean more heavily on student fees and other institutional subsidization to try to stay competitive.

For us unfortunately, I think that these next two seasons will be our last shot at a BCS game...not that we could afford it if we did go.

(01-29-2012 11:38 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  For us unfortunately, I think that these next two seasons will be our last shot at a BCS game...not that we could afford it if we did go.

This could get messy. I highly doubt some of these schools, especially those who recently joined FBS will go quietly.

I think the BCS conferences are going to kill the golden goose. They're going to reduce the viewing audience in the process of trying to capture a larger percentage of the $$$. I know people who went to smaller colleges, in the lower divisions. They don't watch college football, except for a few.

(01-29-2012 11:58 PM)Big_Man Wrote:  

(01-29-2012 11:38 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  For us unfortunately, I think that these next two seasons will be our last shot at a BCS game...not that we could afford it if we did go.

This could get messy. I highly doubt some of these schools, especially those who recently joined FBS will go quietly.

They will be in a higher league than FCS...just not in the top league.

Likely this league will have a reduced number of scholarships and will not have the capability to give the $2k stipend. It will all be in the name of saving money for the poor poor little schools.

:muttering:
I guess we can win a National Championship that no one outside of DeKalb will care about again. For some reason I am not excited to see that future.

Here is the only good news in the article...

"NCAA President Mark Emmert says the examination of the structure of Division I should not be construed that he is pushing for an entirely new division."

(01-30-2012 04:10 AM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  Here is the only good news in the article...

"NCAA President Mark Emmert says the examination of the structure of Division I should not be construed that he is pushing for an entirely new division."

But then behind closed doors he is reported to be saying this...

Speaking on the condition of anonymity in advance of Emmert's comments Sunday, they said he has indicated he wants to examine the merits and mechanics of further subdivision if not explicitly push for it.

The NCAA is afraid that the Big 6 will break away from the NCAA. That is why they are doing this.

(01-30-2012 09:29 AM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  The NCAA is afraid that the Big 6 will break away from the NCAA. That is why they are doing this.

Break away from what? How does the current system benefit the NCAA?

This would only make money sense for the NCAA if they were to run a playoff.

(01-30-2012 09:35 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(01-30-2012 09:29 AM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  The NCAA is afraid that the Big 6 will break away from the NCAA. That is why they are doing this.

Break away from what? How does the current system benefit the NCAA?

This would only make money sense for the NCAA if they were to run a playoff.

Maybe if the big 6 break off, then the remaining NCAA could run a playoff and they will find that the playoff is as exciting and as entertaining and the ncaa basketball tournament. The big six would essentially be a lower level professional league sponsored by those schools, and true intercollegiate athletics would be what is left with the NCAA.

(01-30-2012 12:31 PM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(01-30-2012 09:35 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(01-30-2012 09:29 AM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  The NCAA is afraid that the Big 6 will break away from the NCAA. That is why they are doing this.

Break away from what? How does the current system benefit the NCAA?

This would only make money sense for the NCAA if they were to run a playoff.

Maybe if the big 6 break off, then the remaining NCAA could run a playoff and they will find that the playoff is as exciting and as entertaining and the ncaa basketball tournament. The big six would essentially be a lower level professional league sponsored by those schools, and true intercollegiate athletics would be what is left with the NCAA.

Who won the FCS Championship this year? (Without looking it up)

Exactly. Nobody would care. It might be entertaining as hell, good football, but there would be zero interest in it.

Most college football fans are not like us. Most pick their teams like we pick pro teams and continue to root for them regardless of where they actually go to school. Those fans won't give a crap about this or that as long as they can yell "Roll Tide" or Go Blue", buy hats at Wal-Mart, and hang out at Buffalo Wild Wings on Saturday afternoon in their jerseys (which really look ridiculous on grown men, by the way*)

* This coming from a guy who owns literally bins full of red & black crap in every combination, including a jersey.

(01-30-2012 02:05 PM)cawoo22 Wrote:  Who won the FCS Championship this year? (Without looking it up)

Exactly. Nobody would care. It might be entertaining as hell, good football, but there would be zero interest in it.

Most college football fans are not like us. Most pick their teams like we pick pro teams and continue to root for them regardless of where they actually go to school. Those fans won't give a crap about this or that as long as they can yell "Roll Tide" or Go Blue", buy hats at Wal-Mart, and hang out at Buffalo Wild Wings on Saturday afternoon in their jerseys (which really look ridiculous on grown men, by the way*)

* This coming from a guy who owns literally bins full of red & black crap in every combination, including a jersey.

On the flip side its not like anyone else gives a crap about us now...I guess we will see this year and next if we can make some noise vs Iowa, Kansas and Purdue.

(01-30-2012 02:10 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(01-30-2012 02:05 PM)cawoo22 Wrote:  Who won the FCS Championship this year? (Without looking it up)

Exactly. Nobody would care. It might be entertaining as hell, good football, but there would be zero interest in it.

Most college football fans are not like us. Most pick their teams like we pick pro teams and continue to root for them regardless of where they actually go to school. Those fans won't give a crap about this or that as long as they can yell "Roll Tide" or Go Blue", buy hats at Wal-Mart, and hang out at Buffalo Wild Wings on Saturday afternoon in their jerseys (which really look ridiculous on grown men, by the way*)

* This coming from a guy who owns literally bins full of red & black crap in every combination, including a jersey.

On the flip side its not like anyone else gives a crap about us now...I guess we will see this year and next if we can make some noise vs Iowa, Kansas and Purdue.

Exactly, it would be kinda nice to have the landscape cleared of the giants and let the others show what they can do. For example, I NEVER watch Duke v Coastal Carolina in the first round of the bball tournament. However, I never miss the 5-12 game. I like the competition, and don't need to see another SEC or ACC game! But that is mostly just me, I guess.

(01-30-2012 02:17 PM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(01-30-2012 02:10 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(01-30-2012 02:05 PM)cawoo22 Wrote:  Who won the FCS Championship this year? (Without looking it up)

Exactly. Nobody would care. It might be entertaining as hell, good football, but there would be zero interest in it.

Most college football fans are not like us. Most pick their teams like we pick pro teams and continue to root for them regardless of where they actually go to school. Those fans won't give a crap about this or that as long as they can yell "Roll Tide" or Go Blue", buy hats at Wal-Mart, and hang out at Buffalo Wild Wings on Saturday afternoon in their jerseys (which really look ridiculous on grown men, by the way*)

* This coming from a guy who owns literally bins full of red & black crap in every combination, including a jersey.

On the flip side its not like anyone else gives a crap about us now...I guess we will see this year and next if we can make some noise vs Iowa, Kansas and Purdue.

Exactly, it would be kinda nice to have the landscape cleared of the giants and let the others show what they can do. For example, I NEVER watch Duke v Coastal Carolina in the first round of the bball tournament. However, I never miss the 5-12 game. I like the competition, and don't need to see another SEC or ACC game! But that is mostly just me, I guess.

...I don't want us to be the big fish in the medium sized pond.

These look to be the last 2 years of a shot at a big bowl before we are locked out. A non-AQ program needs to win out and get lucky with AQ losses and crash the party (NC game) then shock the establishment with a win.

I read today in the Sun Times that the NCAA is excited about pushing for a 4 school playoff for the National Championship. I'm assuming regardless of whatever crap comes out of this summer's Div. 1 "talks", that MAC, Conference USA, etc., will still have a shot (however watered down) at making the field of four?

(01-31-2012 06:34 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  I read today in the Sun Times that the NCAA is excited about pushing for a 4 school playoff for the National Championship. I'm assuming regardless of whatever crap comes out of this summer's Div. 1 "talks", that MAC, Conference USA, etc., will still have a shot (however watered down) at making the field of four?

Not a realistic chance. It will likely still be tied to the subjective (rigged) "poll rankings system."

(01-31-2012 06:48 PM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote:  

(01-31-2012 06:34 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  I read today in the Sun Times that the NCAA is excited about pushing for a 4 school playoff for the National Championship. I'm assuming regardless of whatever crap comes out of this summer's Div. 1 "talks", that MAC, Conference USA, etc., will still have a shot (however watered down) at making the field of four?

Not a realistic chance. It will likely still be tied to the subjective (rigged) "poll rankings system."

Agreed, but we will still technically have a shot at the field of four, as opposed to say FCS teams which do not? Meaning to say they are not going to do something super uncool and say that only the 6 BCS conferences will have a chance to qualify?