Obama, Justice Dept Will Take On Bcs

UNTflyer · January 30, 2010

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration is considering several steps that would review the legality of the controversial Bowl Championship Series, the Justice Department said in a letter Friday to a senator who had asked for an antitrust review.

In the letter to Sen. Orrin Hatch, obtained by The Associated Press, Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich wrote that the Justice Department is reviewing Hatch's request and other materials to determine whether to open an investigation into whether the BCS violates antitrust laws.

"Importantly, and in addition, the administration also is exploring other options that might be available to address concerns with the college football postseason," Weich wrote, including asking the Federal Trade Commission to review the legality of the BCS under consumer protection laws.

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DeepGreen · January 30, 2010

Probably means the Obama administration will force the Big Ten to add the Univ. of Chicago to the conference.

untbowler · January 30, 2010

Dear lord please find a way to keep the Gov't out of College Football, so it does not become an even bigger clusterfrick.

sports1 · January 30, 2010

BCS is a cartel. Millions of dollars are funneled to a few select school. It violates the Sherman Antitrust Act and it is illegal. I am conservative but the BCS is illegal. No illegal activity making millions of dollars will stop itself on it's on accord.

Edited January 30, 2010 by sports1

SilverEagle · January 30, 2010

BCS is a cartel. Millions of dollars are funneled to a few select school. It violates the Sherman Antitrust Act and it is illegal. I am conservative but the BCS is illegal. No illegal activity making millions of dollars will stop itself on it's on accord.

:thumbsup:

eulesseagle · January 30, 2010

congress and obama in the bcs.......that is good.....spead the wealth.

sports1 · January 30, 2010

congress and obama in the bcs.......that is good.....spead the wealth.

It's not a socialist communist mentality. It dealing with illegal activity. Look I disagree with President Obama on a whole lot of stuff but I don't disagree just to disagree. Even Rep Congressman Joe Barton can see this. The BCS is not a free market system. Anyone who thinks so is blind.

Edited January 30, 2010 by sports1

UNTflyer · January 30, 2010

Dear lord please find a way to keep the Gov't out of College Football, so it does not become an even bigger clusterfrick.

Nobody is talking about the government getting involved in football, but rather investigate them for antitrust and anticompetitive practices. Most of us UNT fans agree the BCS intentionally screws over the non-AQ schools.

In the past 10 years there have been 10 undefeated non-AQ teams. None have been invited to the BCS Championship or even close to the #1 spot in the non-Championship Game years. 14 teams finished either undefeated or with a single loss. Only 6 have made it to a BCS game, and 4 of them won.

The BCS generates tax exempt revenue for the schools, so the government has every right to get involved.

untgeorge · January 30, 2010

Yeah, they will take on the BCS. Like they took on health care.

So Congress will looking into it? Remember that states like Alabama and Ohio and Michigan and Florida, et al, have senators, too.

UNT90 · January 30, 2010

Dear lord please find a way to keep the Gov't out of College Football, so it does not become an even bigger clusterfrick.

Look, no one wants the morons in congress involved with college football, but a Justice Dept investigation is a whole other ball of wax. They have the ability to file an anti-trust lawsuit against the BCS and get this thing moving through the court system, where it belongs. This is a positive.

Who knows, maybe the pressure of the impending litigation will cause the NCAA to finally go to a playoff format (with all the $$ involved, I doubt it).

NT80 · January 30, 2010

Look, no one wants the morons in congress involved with college football, but a Justice Dept investigation is a whole other ball of wax. They have the ability to file an anti-trust lawsuit against the BCS and get this thing moving through the court system, where it belongs. This is a positive.

Who knows, maybe the pressure of the impending litigation will cause the NCAA to finally go to a playoff format (with all the $$ involved, I doubt it).

Yes, if nothing else comes from it at least a wakeup call to the BCS to make it appear more equitable in $$ payouts. The "haves" have been put on notice that even D.C. is watching them and they need to share more wealth with the "have-nots".

KRAM1 · January 30, 2010

If the Obama Administration is involved it means that whatever happens will be pointless and a master screw-up. Heck, the guy even screwed up the latest Supreme Court ruling in the SOU address...obviously no one in his justice dept or administration bothered to even read the ruling before jumping off the deep end with stupid statements...much like the way Obama blasted the Cambridge Cop without knowing any of the real facts.

I would like to see the BCS "re-done" as much as anyone, but getting the Obama Administration involved is like asking "pee wee Herman" to cure cancer!

Don't get excited about any real "change" with these clowns involved.

cwb · January 30, 2010

Two stores are across the street from each other. ABC store is bigger and has a large loyal base of customers. XYZ store across the street is smaller with fewer customers. A parade comes down the street with a large audience. ABC, the bigger, better store gets 80% of the parade watcher business. XYZ cries to the city council that ABC should share these profits.

Is this story one of anti-trust?

Look, I want North Texas to share the pie more than anyone. But, we have to earn it buy continuing to improve our store. If and when we reach that point, do you really want to share the pie with Kent and their 8000 customers?

bison · January 30, 2010

Sports, especially football, are a business for Universities. There are enough government rules that have to be met without a completely new set which, given the past proposals, would include a portion of the moneys to go to the government to help pay-down the deficit. The president, congress, and any other government agency need to deal with the problems they were elected/appointed for – not college/professional football.

Got5onIt · January 30, 2010

Sports, especially football, are a business for Universities. There are enough government rules that have to be met without a completely new set which, given the past proposals, would include a portion of the moneys to go to the government to help pay-down the deficit. The president, congress, and any other government agency need to deal with the problems they were elected/appointed for – not college/professional football.

So these Universities making hundreds of millions of dollars, tax free, on the backs of young Americans isn't worth looking into?

UNT90 · January 30, 2010

Two stores are across the street from each other. ABC store is bigger and has a large loyal base of customers. XYZ store across the street is smaller with fewer customers. A parade comes down the street with a large audience. ABC, the bigger, better store gets 80% of the parade watcher business. XYZ cries to the city council that ABC should share these profits.

Is this story one of anti-trust?

Look, I want North Texas to share the pie more than anyone. But, we have to earn it buy continuing to improve our store. If and when we reach that point, do you really want to share the pie with Kent and their 8000 customers?

Except when ABC store blocks your doors and refuses to allow the customers in your doors, which is what the BCS in effect did by matching TCU against Boise St. and by freezing out schools that don't belong to the big 6. I dont want ot hear about game ratings or money earned for both schools from this one-shot deal of the Fiesta Bowl. By preventing a match-up with Florida for either one of these schools, the BCS in effect blocked their doors to new customers.

In 2 years, you ask the average college football fan who Boise St beat in the bowl to go undefeated this year, they won't be able to tell you. You ask them who Boise st. beat to go undefeated in 2006 season and they will tell you Oklahoma. Fans would have remembered Boise St or TCU knocking off Florida (if it happened).

We all knew the TCU-Boise st match-up was coming, because we knew the BCS wanted to protect it's brand and discourage competition.

I think we are headed toward the end of the BCS, it's just going to take a while to get there.

emmitt01 · January 30, 2010

If the Obama Administration is involved it means that whatever happens will be pointless and a master screw-up. Heck, the guy even screwed up the latest Supreme Court ruling in the SOU address...obviously no one in his justice dept or administration bothered to even read the ruling before jumping off the deep end with stupid statements...much like the way Obama blasted the Cambridge Cop without knowing any of the real facts.

I would like to see the BCS "re-done" as much as anyone, but getting the Obama Administration involved is like asking "pee wee Herman" to cure cancer!

Don't get excited about any real "change" with these clowns involved.

Good to see we're keeping this about football and not letting petty personal views creep in.

(UT or SMU reference thrown "in my face" by the reading impaired in 3....2....1...)

Travis · January 30, 2010

Two stores are across the street from each other. ABC store is bigger and has a large loyal base of customers. XYZ store across the street is smaller with fewer customers. A parade comes down the street with a large audience. ABC, the bigger, better store gets 80% of the parade watcher business. XYZ cries to the city council that ABC should share these profits.

Is this story one of anti-trust?

Look, I want North Texas to share the pie more than anyone. But, we have to earn it buy continuing to improve our store. If and when we reach that point, do you really want to share the pie with Kent and their 8000 customers?

It is a story of unequal opportunity. Whether you are conservative or liberal should make no difference in the matter. This isn't a matter of equality in actuality. But, of equality in opportunity. The BCS system is fundementaly designed to not give equal opportunity to all of NCAA's top division participants. I applaud the government for doing something about this unethical practice.

cwb · January 30, 2010

It is a story of unequal opportunity. Whether you are conservative or liberal should make no difference in the matter. This isn't a matter of equality in actuality. But, of equality in opportunity. The BCS system is fundementaly designed to not give equal opportunity to all of NCAA's top division participants. I applaud the government for doing something about this unethical practice.

I don't see where my political views play in to this. But, if you want to talk about equal opportunity.

There was this school in Denton that had been playing football for nearly a century. They were in a non-aq conference.

There was this school in Tampa Fla. They started football about fifteen years ago. They were top ten at one point last year.

Is it the NCAA's fault that we got passed by? Does the school in Tampa owe the one in Denton money or opportunity just because, even with a huge head start, the Denton school can't keep up?

You know what? I give. Let's get this stupid playoff system in place.

We got a new OC so we will win conference next year and get our little sixteenth see. Where oh where do I get to spend

my weekend in early Dec.

Tuscalooza, yea that's it. It rhymes with lalapalooza. Assuming I can get one of the 1500 tickets they allot us, I am going a week early to take in the sights.

Wait, we scored a fifteenth seed? Sweet! Happy Valley,Pa. is great in Dec. After riding three airplanes a bus and hitchhiking to wherever the hell that is, I guess my week will be up. But that is ok. It will be one hell of a competitive game.

Bring on the playoffs! Because we at North Texas should really be concerned about who the national chump is since we are all State Flagship U douches.

I am going to miss New Orleans. And don't give me any of that crap about playoffs at bowls either.

And once again, my political views are mine and none of anyone's business. Obviously I don't mind sharing my views on college football.

UNTflyer · January 30, 2010

Who knows, maybe the pressure of the impending litigation will cause the NCAA to finally go to a playoff format (with all the $ involved, I doubt it).

See, people keep saying the money is the issue, but I don't think it is. A playoff system would be a ratings bonanza, and if done right (with automatic berths at stake in conference championship games), it could end up making a bigger pie for everyone.

I think the real reason for resistance to a playoff is the threat posed by schools like Boise State, Utah, and TCU.

UNTflyer · January 30, 2010

Two stores are across the street from each other. ABC store is bigger and has a large loyal base of customers. XYZ store across the street is smaller with fewer customers. A parade comes down the street with a large audience. ABC, the bigger, better store gets 80% of the parade watcher business. XYZ cries to the city council that ABC should share these profits.

Is this story one of anti-trust?

Look, I want North Texas to share the pie more than anyone. But, we have to earn it buy continuing to improve our store. If and when we reach that point, do you really want to share the pie with Kent and their 8000 customers?

No matter how much the non-AQ schools improve, they will NEVER get a shot.

TCU and Boise State did everything right to get into the championship game, and they were denied a spot because of their lack of a dynasty. To have a system with 120 teams and arbitrarily selecting two as "the best" to play in a single championship game is no way to determine a champion. The talent is just too spread out. Hell, I'd argue Cincinnati and Florida were just as deserving of being in the Championship game.

I guarantee if the Big Six went off to form their own division of football, a playoff would be used to determine the champion. They'd make it happen. Fear of the non-traditional schools is what keeps it from happening today.

UNTflyer · January 30, 2010

You know what? I give. Let's get this stupid playoff system in place.

We got a new OC so we will win conference next year and get our little sixteenth see. Where oh where do I get to spend
my weekend in early Dec.

Tuscalooza, yea that's it. It rhymes with lalapalooza. Assuming I can get one of the 1500 tickets they allot us, I am going a week early to take in the sights.

Wait, we scored a fifteenth seed? Sweet! Happy Valley,Pa. is great in Dec. After riding three airplanes a bus and hitchhiking to wherever the hell that is, I guess my week will be up. But that is ok. It will be one hell of a competitive game.

Bring on the playoffs! Because we at North Texas should really be concerned about who the national chump is since we are all State Flagship U douches.
I am going to miss New Orleans. And don't give me any of that crap about playoffs at bowls either.

If you open up the opportunity for schools to reach the championship, the talent level will increase and we would become more competitive. In fact, I would think many players would see playing for an up and coming non-AQ team who made it to the playoffs last year as a better choice over sitting on the bench for a BCS school that won it all.

cwb · January 30, 2010

No matter how much the non-AQ schools improve, they will NEVER get a shot.

TCU and Boise State did everything right to get into the championship game, and they were denied a spot because of their lack of a dynasty. To have a system with 120 teams and arbitrarily selecting two as "the best" to play in a single championship game is no way to determine a champion. The talent is just too spread out. Hell, I'd argue Cincinnati and Florida were just as deserving of being in the Championship game.

I guarantee if the Big Six went off to form their own division of football, a playoff would be used to determine the champion. They'd make it happen. Fear of the non-traditional schools is what keeps it from happening today.

Let me help you rephrase. I guarantee that if a playoff system becomes reality, the Big Six will form their own division of football.

Let the 1AA expansion begin.

UNTflyer · January 30, 2010

Let me help you rephrase. I guarantee that if a playoff system becomes reality, the Big Six will form their own division of football.

Let the 1AA expansion begin.

That's not up to them - that's the NCAA's call. Will they abandon the NCAA and all of the other sports to avoid a football playoff? I don't think so.

EDIT: A playoff will not come about through the BCS, it will be the NCAA.

Edited January 30, 2010 by UNTflyer

NT80 · January 31, 2010

That's not up to them - that's the NCAA's call. Will they abandon the NCAA and all of the other sports to avoid a football playoff? I don't think so.

EDIT: A playoff will not come about through the BCS, it will be the NCAA.

The NCAA has lost control of the situation. It is now controlled by $$$ (media) and those who the $$$ want to see on TV = BCS schools. I fully expect the BCS schools will split off, but they will still need non-BCS schools to fill their schedules. Then they can still have their guaranteed 7 home games and 6 wins to become Bowl eligible for their share of the $$$ pie.