Money Players

The slippery slope of NCAA commercialism

An important part of the NCAA’s mission is to “maintain a clear line of demarcation between intercollegiate athletics and professional sports.” There was a time not long ago when some complained about those omnipresent Nike logos emblazoned on college players. Of course, giant logos never hurt anyone…at least not until the NCAA started putting huge NCAA logo decals right smack in the middle of March Madness. Last year, North Carolina Coach Roy Williams was incensed after several of his players—including Tyler Hansbrough and Marcus Ginyard—slipped on the NCAA decals. "Let’s stop putting those stupid logos on the floor where kids slip and slide around…somebody is going to get hurt,” Williams said, “and I’ve said that for years and years and years.” He added, it's a "a lawsuit waiting to happen."

This year the NCAA will use painted on logos (as opposed to decals) at nine of the 13 NCAA Tournament venues, up from five last year. Roy Williams credited the NCAA for “doing what’s best for the safety of the student-athletes.” Still, 31% of this year’s venues will sport those “dad-gum” (to quote Williams) decals. No one should declare “Mission Accomplished” until these decals are completely banned. My advice to players whose teams are in the unlucky 31%: Refuse to step on the court until they are removed. Wishful thinking, I suppose, but on the other hand, the next torn ACL could be your own.

The NCAA's defense, according to Sports Business Daily: Greg Shaheen wrote in an e-mail that the logo decals were put in place for early-round games “to create as neutral a site as possible.” Shaheen wrote, “With the current large court logos that many teams are going to, covering the host logo is a more complicated process. In fact, the NCAA logo of that size has nothing to do with branding. Rather, it is to cover the host logo.” So there you have it. It has nothing to do with branding. Others disagree, including officials at the Greensboro Coliseum and David Zirin, who thinks the NCAA is all about the brand.

--Marc Isenberg

UPDATE

Sporting News senior basketball writer Mike Decourcy e-mails: "Good stuff on the logos. I understand the NCAA wanting to make it neutral. I get that. But there's a point where safety overrides that. Players don't give a damn if they're dribbling across the state of Kansas or whatever at the center of the floor."

CBS to NCAA: Uh, we're in business to make money

by Marc Isenberg

NFL fantasy has been a big deal for several years. But college football fantasy has lagged, not because there isn't any interest, but because fantasy sports is seemingly at odds with NCAA bylaws covering both gambling and the marketing of amateur athletes. While the NFL and many other pro leagues partnered with sites offering fantasy sports, the NCAA has steered clear. 

In June the Supreme Court refused to review the 8th Circuit's holding in CDM Fantasy Sports Corp. v. Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) that the First Amendment rights of a fantasy league operator to publish news and statistics outweigh MLBAM and players' state law rights of publicity to their names.

(Back to plain English after the jump.)

Michael Vick will forever be linked to...gambling

By Marc Isenberg

Now that Vick has plead guilty, our nation can turn its attention to settling a more pressing question: Which is worse, killing dogs or betting on dogs?

The reasonable answer: Dog killing is despicable, heinous and disturbing. Illegal sports gambling by NFL players is prohibited -- so the NFL will factor in the gambling element when it comes to determining Michael Vick's fate as a football player. But Vick will always be remembered as -- and pay the steepest price for -- killing dogs.

But what do I know? I don't get paid to write opinions like this.

Here's what extremely well-compensated studio announcers Bob Costas, Peter King, Tiki Barber, and Chris Collingsworth had to say on NBC's Football Night in America. (Thanks to Jon Stewart we can laugh at some very strange commentary.)

Costas: "We're looking at Michael Vick not showing up in the NFL until again 2010."

Stewart: "My god, that's almost 28 dog years from now."

Collingsworth: "Peter, what about the gambling?  The dog fighting might be the least of his concerns."

King: "You said it absolutely right. I am told the League is as concerned, maybe more so, about the gambling aspect than about the dog fighting."

Really? Roger Goodell has been masterful in his statements since becoming NFL commish. It's very questionable that the NFL, the most well-oiled machine in professional sports, would put out something so greasy. No question the gambling aspect compounds Vick's problems, but this is not a rock/paper/scissors game -- where gambling smashes dog killing.

The whole exchange is classic -- and worth viewing...but you must do so on Comedy Central's website, not mine. Viacom (which owns Comedy Central) is suing Youtube.com for a $1 billion. Of greater concern: My wife, Debbie Spander, is a lawyer...get ready for the punchline...at Comedy Central. If I can avoid receiving a cease and desist letter from my wife...on corporate letterhead...that's a good day.

But she will happily have a smackdown with debate Youtube's chief counsel on this very issue at the ABA Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries in NYC on October 13. (See page 9 of the brochure.)

Summer feel-good stories

Haven't had much time to blog in July. Not like I missed anything important. Trying to finish my book, "Money Players: A Pro Athlete's Guide to Success in Sports, Business & Life," which if I continue to not blog should be ready to ship in September.

Sports have not had a carefree, lazy summer. WWE wrestler Chris Benoit tragically put the ultimate sleeper hold on his wife and son before killing himself. After multiple off-the-field transgressions by Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, and Chris Henry, the NFL delivered them swift, severe punishment. Just after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's stronger conduct policy was ratified -- and embraced by owners and players alike -- Michael Vick faces criminal charges for his alleged involvement in a dog fighting ring. Now the NBA is reeling over allegations that one of its referees placed bets on games he officiated. The Tour de France is a complete mess.

And then there's Barry Bonds, who looks pretty wholesome these days, at least relative to the times we live in. As The Onion headline noted, "Bonds Home-Run Scandal Somehow Becomes Feel-Good Sports Story Of Summer."

Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum commenting on the one league which has escaped summer controversy, "Somewhere last week NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was lounging in his deck chair with a tall cocktail and a photo of Sidney Crosby at his side, saying, 'Who cares that the Food Channel gets better ratings than the Stanley Cup finals?'"

NCAA article: Educational steps combat gambling

Here's a link to an article on gambling Rick Rhoads and I wrote for The NCAA News.

It wasn't so long ago when the NCAA wouldn't print anything I wrote, so I am glad to see a new era in this relationship.