By allowing alcohol sales at Monday’s title game and approving travel reimbursements for players’ families, college football is once again showing its dominance.
Hardly surprising considering the amount of money successful football teams bring in compared to other sports.* They’re bringing in the most money, why not give them the best perks? The Title IX argument is interesting, but flimsy; it’d be ridiculous to make this financial decision about gender equality.
*http://businessofcollegesports.com/2013/11/14/most-profitable-football-and-basketball-programs/ (couldn’t find any other data, but this seems accurate)
They should allow travel expenses for players’ families for this one very important, profitable game. Many come from low-income single parents. Would you rather them not be able to attend to watch their sons play? geez…the things people complain about.
As for booze sales…likely those profits are going towards the stadium costs, security costs, etc.
Sheesh. Travel expenses for families?
I knew we should have had the girl in football instead of swimming.
^^
If your D’s meets make the kind of profits that a football national championship makes, then your travel costs should be covered, too. But, likely since it’s a girl sport…it’s a money loser…and maybe supported by the football team.
For sure, travel expense for families is a good idea. Prohibited by NCAA rules.
Agree with everyone. Doesn’t have anything to do with Title IX and access. It’s impossible to equalize the revenues generated by big time college men’s sports vs. women’s sports. At least it gives “access” to women to participate in women’s sports. I think it’s wonderful that families that might not be able to go see your sons play are getting some subsidy from those revenues.
@oldmom4896 The NCAA has a pilot program and is allowing schools to reimburse parents up to $1,250 for the football championship game.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/sports/ncaafootball/college-football-playoff-to-help-pay-for-parents-expenses-to-title-game.html?_r=0
[QUOTE=""]
NCAA has a pilot program and is allowing schools to reimburse parents up to $1,250
[/QUOTE]
This sounds fair and reasonable. Football is one sport where many players come from low income families. That might also be said of basketball. Other sports may not have so many low-income players…and likely aren’t in sports that are money -producers.
There’s a reason why many football players will only select schools that are within about a 300 mile radius (and typically a lot less)…and that’s often due to low-income parent travel issues.
As for the booze. There really aren’t a lot of under-aged students attending these championship games in proportion to the total audience. Most are well-heeled adults. If the NCAA or stadiums think that there is money to be made selling beer to these folks then oh well.
Just read the article and can’t fathom what is so upsetting about any of this. The Florida/Georgia game in Jacksonville has been called the world’s biggest cocktail party for at least the past 40 years. Covering the travel costs for the player’s parents for one game a year: the National Championship doesn’t strike me as anything to lose sleep over either (I rarely agree with Urban Meyer on anything).
With all the problems with college sports, this seems like a tempest in a teapot.
Well. As a full pay parent I think I might indeed resent money going to ensure my classmates’ parents “go to a big cocktail party”. But I dislike excessive focus on sports anyway so never mind me.
^^^
@Pizzagirl If any tuition money or “school money” were going to fund this, then your concern would be valid. However, the money that is being used is coming from sports income. The schools in this championship game have profitable football programs.
The money isn’t coming from the schools at all as that would be against the rules. The money is coming from the NCAA. The NCAA has also approved this for the Final Four in basketball too. Now the real question is whether they’ll do it for the Women’s Final Four.
This is the first football championship in this format. There are several problems, like that Ohio State can practice all they want because OSU hasn’t begun the spring term yet, but Oregon is limited to 20 hours because its term has started. They will work all these things out.
With 28 million viewers tuning in to watch the Rose and Sugar playoff bowl games, the winners are ESPN (Disney) and the power 5 conferences. FBS football championship system isn’t sanctioned by the NCAA.
Happy to see some charity for the players families.
The following is from ESPN:
Yes, the money is coming thru the NCAA. I knew that but wrote my response poorly. My point to @pizzagirl was really that schools are not using tuition money to pay for this.
The NCAA is “paying” using money that it gets from athletic programs and from TV. Football and mens basketball championships are profitable operations.
Ok, then, well never mind!
“For sure, travel expense for families is a good idea. Prohibited by NCAA rules.”
This is one situation where I’m all for allowing special benefits. I’d allow it for every game, if it’s means-tested. Families supporting their kids is a good thing across the board. Of course they should get to go.
Why ‘means tested’? Should middle class families not get to see their kids play? Athletic scholarships are NOT need based.