USA Today asked its readers what they would like to see changed in the world of sports. Among a list of 10 possibilities offered by the newspapers sports staff, the outcome wasnt even close. Nearly half (48 percent) said they want a football playoff for Division I-A colleges. Admittedly, it wasnt a scientific poll, but still: The total was four times that for the No. 2 choice cut player salaries and five times the number of readers who called for lower ticket prices.
If history is a guide, though, the collegiate power structure will ignore this expression of fan sentiment just as it ignores all the other reasons to crown a clear, indisputable national college football champion each season.
Public interest in collegiate athletics continues to climb, judging from the reactions of broadcasters. ESPN announced plans to launch a 24-hour network devoted to college programming. Rival CSTV got a pair of recent boosts in the form of a long-term agreement with the Mountain West Conference and a $25 million infusion from invesstors.
Yet the decision-makers of college athletics the NCAA among them but certainly not the only one show an unwillingness to make the most of it. Recent headlines reflect misguided decisions and missed opportunities to build the franchise:
Jeremy Bloom is told that corporate endorsements to support his Olympic skiing hopes are incompatible with his playing collegiate football. Yet if he played minor league baseball for pay, he would still be an amateur football player in the eyes of the NCAA.
Mike Williams puts his faith in a court decision and declares himself for the NFL draft. When that decision is reversed on appeal, Williams is left hanging undrafted, unpaid by pro football and permanently ineligible to return to the college game.
Members of Congress are asking questions about the NCAAs decision-making in cases such as these. Perhaps answers will emerge, though its by no means a sure thing. The NCAA has not shown much willingness to make a public case to explain its reasoning.
Anybody who cares about collegiate athletics sponsors, business partners, broadcasters and just plain fans ought to be worried about some of the actions of these supposed stewards. The real losers here are the student-athletes, the customer base and the prestige of the NCAA and the collegiate brand.