New All-Star Football Game Revives Youth Sports Debate
Organizers of yesterday's inaugural Football University Youth All-American Bowl at the Alamodome are "billing the bowl as an event similar to the Little League World Series, but coaches and others say it opens a path toward professionalism already traveled by other sports," according to Evans & Thamel of the N.Y. TIMES. The bowl, which featured the nation's top seventh and eight graders, is the "brainchild" of New Jersey-based sports-marketing company SportsLink Inc., which also operates the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, an annual all-star game for the nation's top high school seniors. SportsLink President Rich McGuinness "created Football University, invitation-only instructional football camps across the country from February to July at a cost of $40 an hour for campers." McGuinness said that the bowl, which was broadcast online at www.footballuniversity.org, is meant to "emphasize leadership, teamwork, and speed and strength." But Evans & Thamel noted "even with players paying for their travel and lodging, the event is expected to lose $30,000." Meanwhile, Wake Forest Univ. football coach Jim Grobe said that he was "concerned that sponsors of all-star games could influence players to consider universities with which they have financial arrangements." Grobe: "I think it could develop into a concern if those companies also outfit college teams and have a vested interest in them." Also, Evans & Thamel note "exposing players to corporate sponsors at such a young age could invite the type of outside influences that have become so prominent in basketball." To play in the bowl, players must submit a nomination form and highlight tape, and bowl Dir John Gallagher said that the bowl "relied heavily on Football University's network of youth scouts, directors, commissioners and coaches for selections." Two thousand nominations for participation in the bowl were received (N.Y. TIMES, 1/4).
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