College football playoff debate
Encyclopedia
The college football playoff debate is a normative discourse among college football
fans, journalists, conference representatives, government officials, university administrators, coaches, and players concerning whether or not the current postseason format of the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) should be changed or modified. Playoff proponents argue that a bracket-style playoff
championship should replace the current Bowl Championship Series
, while others advocate for a Plus-one format, which would create a single national championship game with participants selected after the conclusion of the traditional bowl season. This debate has been ongoing since at least 1971.
The BCS is the system established, prior to the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season
, to select two participants to compete for college football's FBS division (formerly division I-A) national championship
. There have been numerous controversies
about the teams that should play for the college football national championship.
Several polls have shown significant support among college football fans for a playoff to replace the BCS.
of the BCS National Championship and lament that the participants of the BCS National Championship game are decided based upon coaches' and media
polls rather than via previous, on-field competition such as the case with head-to-head, bracket-style tournaments in other major sports and levels of college football. Proponents occasionally accuse the Bowl Championship Series of financial conflict with respect to the money earned in bowl games and the allocation of those resources.
Barack Obama
has spoken out in favor of a playoff, before and after the 2008 U.S. presidential election
. On November 18, 2008, in Obama's first interview as president-elect
, Steve Kroft
of 60 Minutes
ended the interview with a question about the topic. Obama replied:
Critics note that the current bowl system allows for nearly half of the teams to travel and play in bowl games, while proposed playoff formats that include home games for higher seeded teams do not provide these players the bowl game rewards, which often include favorable hotel accommodations, gift bags, and travel to warm destinations. Additionally, under the BCS, fans who travel to bowl games are able to participate in parades and beach bases, which presumably would not be offered to teams losing in the playoffs.
In the 2010 season
, Delaware
, a traditional FCS power that is consistently among the division's attendance leaders, averaged 20,684 for its regular-season home games. The Blue Hens won a share of the Colonial Athletic Association
title and advanced to the playoffs, ultimately reaching the national championship game. Although they played all their playoff games before the final at home
, their attendance took a nosedive. Their attendances for their playoff games were:
These attendance issues were not limited to Delaware. Appalachian State
, another traditional FCS power, averaged over 29,000 for its 2010 home
schedule—higher than a substantial number of FBS teams. The Mountaineers were unable to draw even 16,000 for either of their two home playoff games. In 2009
, eventual national champion Villanova
drew only 4,771 for its home
semifinal against conference rival William & Mary
.
commissioners contemplated replacing the current BCS with a Plus-one format, which would create a national championship game at the conclusion of the traditional bowl season with the two participants selected among BCS Bowl winners. Ultimately, the Bowl Championship Series
commissioners rejected any immediate action and tabled the discussion on whether to establish a Plus-one format.
Other proposed formats include bracket-style playoff championships with 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 64 teams. Although popular among college football fans, these formats have gained little momentum within the circle of BCS commissioners. The official response from the BCS to these formats is: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" line.
The latest proposal to change the structure of the postseason came from the Mountain West Conference
at the Bowl Championship Series commissioners' annual spring meetings in Pasadena, California
in conjunction with the Rose Bowl
's staging the 2010 BCS title game
. The Mountain West Conference commissioner argued for a selection committee to replace the BCS ranking system, the establishment of an eight-team playoff, and a revision to the automatic qualifier rules.
United States Senator Orrin Hatch
(R-Utah) has indicated that he would hold congressional hearings on the BCS in the future after a team within his constituency failed to play in the national championship game.
wire reports and information obtained by the Associated Press
, Senator Orrin Hatch received a letter from the justice department concerning the possibility of a legal review of the BCS. The letter, received on January 29, 2010, states that the Obama administration will explore options to establish a college football playoff including (a) an anti-trust lawsuit against the BCS, (b) legal action under Federal Trade Commission
consumer protection laws, (c) encouragement of the NCAA to take control of the college football postseason, (d) the establishment of an agency to review the costs and benefits of adopting a playoff system, and (e) continued legislation in favor of a playoff system. Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich writes, "The administration shares your belief that the lack of a college football national championship playoff ...raises important questions affecting millions...." BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock responded to the letter that the BCS complies with all laws and is supported by the participating Division I universities.
Following up on Senator Hatch's actions in the Senate, in April 2011 the Attorney General of Utah announced that he would be initiating a class action anti-trust lawsuit against the BCS, despite the fact that Utah is moving to the Pacific 10 Conference, which is an automatic qualifying conference. In March 2011 the U.S. Justice Department
sent a formal letter of notice to the NCAA asking for a detailed explanation about why FBS football was the only NCAA sport that the NCAA did not 1) have a playoff system in place to determine a champion and 2) why the NCAA had abrogated its responsibility to do so and given the authority to determine the NCAA Champion to an outside group such as the BCS. The Justice Department's investigation and Utah Attorney General's lawsuit are both aimed at forcing the BCS to open its books, which they are as a non-profit required to do every year and have never done, and at determining whether the BCS is an illegal trust or cartel based on Sherman Anti-Trust Act
of 1890, the Clayton Anti-Trust Act
of 1914 and the Robinson-Patman Anti-Price Discrimination Act
of 1936. Two more states Attorneys General are said to be considering joining the Utah lawsuit, and the investigation by the Justice Department will probably include a minute and extensive examination of the Fiesta Bowl Scandal as well as conducting complete audits of the other BCS Bowls, the BCS itself and possibly even the schools of the 6 BCS Automatic Qualification Conferences.
The Fiesta Bowl scandal in particular was the catalyst that opened the BCS up to Federal interest for the first time, largely because the government is concerned not only about the BCS's stifling of fair competition, but more importantly for the Federal Government about the possibility of fraud and tax evasion, if the BCS has violated the rules governing tax exempt organizations and groups that control tax exempt organizations. If the BCS Bowls, who are each separate entities yet also part of the BCS as a whole as well were to lose their tax exempt status, they could be liable for back taxes totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The Fiesta Bowl abuses - especially those regarding alleged illegal and improper political contributions, excessive executive compensation and unjustified reimbursement payments, and the making of excessive, interest free and un-repaid loans - are precisely the types of abuses that would justify the Internal Revenue Service
in stripping the BCS, and each BCS Bowl and possibly even each BCS Conference school (although that is highly unlikely) of their tax exempt status. In the worst case scenario the BCS could also be subject to forfeiture and seizure proceedings. While the worst penalties are unlikely to be enforced, even the milder penalties, such as a determination of a cartel and trust, would have devastating consequences for the BCS and the current system. The court could also order a resolution of the current unfair competition inherent in the structure of the BCS, including ordering a playoff system and ordering the Bowls to participate as the court directs rather than as the bowls had planned in the case of the BCS's demise. Despite Big 10 Commissioner Delaney's assertion that if the BCS were to fold they would "go back to the old system" if a court ordered a solution such as a playoff the Conferences would have no choice in the matter, and would be required - especially if a determination is made that the BCS is an illegal trust or cartel - to do whatever the court says, including submitting to federal oversight of the Bowl's and Bowl teams' finances and administration, and conducting a 4, 8 or 16 team playoff, or whatever other remedy the court ordered in their holding. The structure, timing and participants in such a system would be completely out of the hands of the individuals and groups who now control those decisions, and those same individuals and groups would, in all likelihood, not be given the choice of not participating. A court ruling could require them to participate just as they are now, but they would be required to do so based on the court's rules rather than the BCS rules. This is one of the main reasons that the BCS is fighting against government intervention so strongly. The Department of Justice inquiry is far and away the most potentially dangerous legal situation that the BCS has faced to date.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
fans, journalists, conference representatives, government officials, university administrators, coaches, and players concerning whether or not the current postseason format of the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) should be changed or modified. Playoff proponents argue that a bracket-style playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
championship should replace the current Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
, while others advocate for a Plus-one format, which would create a single national championship game with participants selected after the conclusion of the traditional bowl season. This debate has been ongoing since at least 1971.
The BCS is the system established, prior to the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season
1998 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first of the Bowl Championship Series, which saw Tennessee win the national championship, one year after star quarterback Peyton Manning left for the NFL...
, to select two participants to compete for college football's FBS division (formerly division I-A) national championship
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
. There have been numerous controversies
BCS controversies
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system designed to force a "national championship game" between the top-ranking teams in American college football's top division, the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
about the teams that should play for the college football national championship.
Several polls have shown significant support among college football fans for a playoff to replace the BCS.
For a playoff
Playoff proponents argue against the internal validityInternal validity
Internal validity is the validity of inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity.- Details :...
of the BCS National Championship and lament that the participants of the BCS National Championship game are decided based upon coaches' and media
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
polls rather than via previous, on-field competition such as the case with head-to-head, bracket-style tournaments in other major sports and levels of college football. Proponents occasionally accuse the Bowl Championship Series of financial conflict with respect to the money earned in bowl games and the allocation of those resources.
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
has spoken out in favor of a playoff, before and after the 2008 U.S. presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
. On November 18, 2008, in Obama's first interview as president-elect
President-elect
An -elect is a political candidate who has been elected to an office but who has not yet been sworn in or officially taken office. These may include an incoming president, senator, representative, governor and mayor.Analogously, the term "designate" An -elect is a political candidate who has been...
, Steve Kroft
Steve Kroft
Steve Kroft is an American journalist and a longtime correspondent for 60 Minutes. His investigative reporting has garnered him much acclaim, including three Peabody Awards and nine Emmy awards, one of which was an Emmy for Lifetime Achievement.-Early life:Born on August 22, 1945 in Kokomo,...
of 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
ended the interview with a question about the topic. Obama replied:
I think any sensible person would say that if you've got a bunch of teams who play throughout the season, and many of them have one loss or two losses, there's no clear decisive winner that we should be creating a playoff systemPlayoff formatThere are several different Playoff formats used in various levels of competition in sports and games to determine an overall champion. Some of the most common are the single elimination, the best-of- series, the total points series, and the round-robin tournament.-Single elimination:A Single...
. Eight teams. That would be three rounds, to determine a national champion. It would add three extra weeks to the season. You could trim back on the regular season. I don't know any serious fan of college football who has disagreed with me on this. So, I'm gonna throw my weight around a little bit. I think it's the right thing to do.
Against a playoff
Playoff critics point to various obstacles and unintended consequences that a college football playoff would present. Some university presidents and administrators argue that a playoff format would detract from the importance of the regular season and the intensity of rivalry games, while others argue that a playoff system would create conflicts with student-athletes' studies, final exams, and other academic endeavors. Critics argue that a single loss can potentially end a team's chance at a National Championship or propel some other team into the title game under the current system, making regular-season college football games, particularly in the beginning of the season, more important than regular-season games in sports with a playoff.Critics note that the current bowl system allows for nearly half of the teams to travel and play in bowl games, while proposed playoff formats that include home games for higher seeded teams do not provide these players the bowl game rewards, which often include favorable hotel accommodations, gift bags, and travel to warm destinations. Additionally, under the BCS, fans who travel to bowl games are able to participate in parades and beach bases, which presumably would not be offered to teams losing in the playoffs.
The attendance issue
Another issue that has been largely ignored by both sides of the playoff debate is attendance. Under the current bowl system, fans of teams that make bowl games have a minimum of two weeks, and often a month or more, to make their travel plans for the game. In most playoff systems, teams will not know their next opponent or the game location until a week in advance. The NCAA Division I Football Championship (the formal name for the FCS playoffs) offers a point of comparison.In the 2010 season
2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season
The 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of the college football season, began in September 2010 and concluded with the national championship game on January 7, 2011 won by Eastern Washington...
, Delaware
2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team
The 2010 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware in the 2010 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football season. They played their home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware...
, a traditional FCS power that is consistently among the division's attendance leaders, averaged 20,684 for its regular-season home games. The Blue Hens won a share of the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
title and advanced to the playoffs, ultimately reaching the national championship game. Although they played all their playoff games before the final at home
Delaware Stadium
Delaware Stadium is a 22,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Newark, Delaware, and is home to the University of Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team. The stadium is part of the David M. Nelson Athletic Complex, which includes the Bob Carpenter Center, Fred P...
, their attendance took a nosedive. Their attendances for their playoff games were:
- Second round – 13,669 against LehighLehigh Mountain HawksThe Lehigh Mountain Hawks are the athletic teams representing Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States. The Hawks participate in NCAA Division I competition as a member of the Patriot League...
, a school located 80 miles (128.7 km) from the UD campus. - Quarterfinal – 8,770 against conference rival New HampshireNew Hampshire WildcatsThe New Hampshire Wildcats, or Cats, are the athletic teams of the University of New Hampshire. The wildcat is the school's official mascot, the colors are UNH Blue and white...
. - Semifinal – 10,317 against another traditional FCS power, Georgia SouthernGeorgia Southern Eagles footballThe Georgia Southern Eagles represent Georgia Southern University in football as part of the Southern Conference under head coach Jeff Monken. The Eagles have won an unprecedented six FCS national championships and eight Southern Conference championships and have produced two Walter Payton Award...
.
These attendance issues were not limited to Delaware. Appalachian State
2010 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team
The 2010 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team represents Appalachian State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The team is led by head coach Jerry Moore in his 22nd season and play their home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium...
, another traditional FCS power, averaged over 29,000 for its 2010 home
Kidd Brewer Stadium
Kidd Brewer Stadium is located in Boone, North Carolina and is Appalachian State University's 21,650 seat multi-purpose stadium. Nicknamed "The Rock", the stadium is home to the Mountaineers, the NCAA 2005, 2006, and 2007 Division I FCS national champions. It is also the home of the school's field...
schedule—higher than a substantial number of FBS teams. The Mountaineers were unable to draw even 16,000 for either of their two home playoff games. In 2009
2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FCS football season, part of the college football season, began in August 2009 and concluded with the national championship game on December 18, 2009 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, won by Villanova 23–21 over Montana.-Rule changes for 2009:The NCAA football rules committee...
, eventual national champion Villanova
Villanova Wildcats football
The Villanova Wildcats football program represents Villanova University in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision . The Wildcats play at Villanova Stadium with capacity of 12,500.-History:...
drew only 4,771 for its home
Villanova Stadium
Villanova Stadium is a stadium located on the campus of Villanova University in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, USA.Villanova Stadium was originally built in 1927 and dedicated on October 8, 1927, Villanova Stadium plays host to a wide variety of events including serving as home to the Villanova...
semifinal against conference rival William & Mary
2009 William & Mary Tribe football team
The 2009 William & Mary Tribe football team represented the College of William & Mary in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football during the 2009 season...
.
Proposals
Several proposals for change to the current BCS have been presented. Recently, the Bowl Championship SeriesBowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
commissioners contemplated replacing the current BCS with a Plus-one format, which would create a national championship game at the conclusion of the traditional bowl season with the two participants selected among BCS Bowl winners. Ultimately, the Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
commissioners rejected any immediate action and tabled the discussion on whether to establish a Plus-one format.
Other proposed formats include bracket-style playoff championships with 4, 8, 10, 12, 16, and 64 teams. Although popular among college football fans, these formats have gained little momentum within the circle of BCS commissioners. The official response from the BCS to these formats is: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" line.
The latest proposal to change the structure of the postseason came from the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
at the Bowl Championship Series commissioners' annual spring meetings in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
in conjunction with the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
's staging the 2010 BCS title game
2010 BCS National Championship Game
The 2010 Citi BCS National Championship Game was the finale of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was played between the Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide. It was hosted by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California,...
. The Mountain West Conference commissioner argued for a selection committee to replace the BCS ranking system, the establishment of an eight-team playoff, and a revision to the automatic qualifier rules.
United States Senator Orrin Hatch
Orrin Hatch
Orrin Grant Hatch is the senior United States Senator for Utah and is a member of the Republican Party. Hatch served as the chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1993 to 2005...
(R-Utah) has indicated that he would hold congressional hearings on the BCS in the future after a team within his constituency failed to play in the national championship game.
Governmental intervention
According to CBSSports.comCBSSports.com
CBSSports.com was founded in 1994 as SportsLine USA, and today is a CBS-owned website that provides sports scores, news, statistics, live and on-demand video, mobile apps, e-commerce, fantasy sports products, services, and information..Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, CBSSports.com it is...
wire reports and information obtained by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, Senator Orrin Hatch received a letter from the justice department concerning the possibility of a legal review of the BCS. The letter, received on January 29, 2010, states that the Obama administration will explore options to establish a college football playoff including (a) an anti-trust lawsuit against the BCS, (b) legal action under Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
consumer protection laws, (c) encouragement of the NCAA to take control of the college football postseason, (d) the establishment of an agency to review the costs and benefits of adopting a playoff system, and (e) continued legislation in favor of a playoff system. Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich writes, "The administration shares your belief that the lack of a college football national championship playoff ...raises important questions affecting millions...." BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock responded to the letter that the BCS complies with all laws and is supported by the participating Division I universities.
Following up on Senator Hatch's actions in the Senate, in April 2011 the Attorney General of Utah announced that he would be initiating a class action anti-trust lawsuit against the BCS, despite the fact that Utah is moving to the Pacific 10 Conference, which is an automatic qualifying conference. In March 2011 the U.S. Justice Department
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
sent a formal letter of notice to the NCAA asking for a detailed explanation about why FBS football was the only NCAA sport that the NCAA did not 1) have a playoff system in place to determine a champion and 2) why the NCAA had abrogated its responsibility to do so and given the authority to determine the NCAA Champion to an outside group such as the BCS. The Justice Department's investigation and Utah Attorney General's lawsuit are both aimed at forcing the BCS to open its books, which they are as a non-profit required to do every year and have never done, and at determining whether the BCS is an illegal trust or cartel based on Sherman Anti-Trust Act
Sherman Antitrust Act
The Sherman Antitrust Act requires the United States federal government to investigate and pursue trusts, companies, and organizations suspected of violating the Act. It was the first Federal statute to limit cartels and monopolies, and today still forms the basis for most antitrust litigation by...
of 1890, the Clayton Anti-Trust Act
Clayton Antitrust Act
The Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 , was enacted in the United States to add further substance to the U.S. antitrust law regime by seeking to prevent anticompetitive practices in their incipiency. That regime started with the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, the first Federal law outlawing practices...
of 1914 and the Robinson-Patman Anti-Price Discrimination Act
Robinson-Patman Act
The Robinson–Patman Act of 1936 is a United States federal law that prohibits anticompetitive practices by producers, specifically price discrimination. It grew out of practices in which chain stores were allowed to purchase goods at lower prices than other retailers...
of 1936. Two more states Attorneys General are said to be considering joining the Utah lawsuit, and the investigation by the Justice Department will probably include a minute and extensive examination of the Fiesta Bowl Scandal as well as conducting complete audits of the other BCS Bowls, the BCS itself and possibly even the schools of the 6 BCS Automatic Qualification Conferences.
The Fiesta Bowl scandal in particular was the catalyst that opened the BCS up to Federal interest for the first time, largely because the government is concerned not only about the BCS's stifling of fair competition, but more importantly for the Federal Government about the possibility of fraud and tax evasion, if the BCS has violated the rules governing tax exempt organizations and groups that control tax exempt organizations. If the BCS Bowls, who are each separate entities yet also part of the BCS as a whole as well were to lose their tax exempt status, they could be liable for back taxes totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The Fiesta Bowl abuses - especially those regarding alleged illegal and improper political contributions, excessive executive compensation and unjustified reimbursement payments, and the making of excessive, interest free and un-repaid loans - are precisely the types of abuses that would justify the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
in stripping the BCS, and each BCS Bowl and possibly even each BCS Conference school (although that is highly unlikely) of their tax exempt status. In the worst case scenario the BCS could also be subject to forfeiture and seizure proceedings. While the worst penalties are unlikely to be enforced, even the milder penalties, such as a determination of a cartel and trust, would have devastating consequences for the BCS and the current system. The court could also order a resolution of the current unfair competition inherent in the structure of the BCS, including ordering a playoff system and ordering the Bowls to participate as the court directs rather than as the bowls had planned in the case of the BCS's demise. Despite Big 10 Commissioner Delaney's assertion that if the BCS were to fold they would "go back to the old system" if a court ordered a solution such as a playoff the Conferences would have no choice in the matter, and would be required - especially if a determination is made that the BCS is an illegal trust or cartel - to do whatever the court says, including submitting to federal oversight of the Bowl's and Bowl teams' finances and administration, and conducting a 4, 8 or 16 team playoff, or whatever other remedy the court ordered in their holding. The structure, timing and participants in such a system would be completely out of the hands of the individuals and groups who now control those decisions, and those same individuals and groups would, in all likelihood, not be given the choice of not participating. A court ruling could require them to participate just as they are now, but they would be required to do so based on the court's rules rather than the BCS rules. This is one of the main reasons that the BCS is fighting against government intervention so strongly. The Department of Justice inquiry is far and away the most potentially dangerous legal situation that the BCS has faced to date.
See also
- BCS controversiesBCS controversiesThe Bowl Championship Series is a selection system designed to force a "national championship game" between the top-ranking teams in American college football's top division, the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
- Bowl Championship SeriesBowl Championship SeriesThe Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
- Mythical National ChampionshipMythical National ChampionshipA mythical national championship is a colloquial term used to question the validity of national championship recognition that is not explicitly competitive...
- NCAA Division I FBS National Football ChampionshipNCAA Division I FBS National Football ChampionshipA college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...