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BCSReform.org
DIRECTORY
Realistically, the BCS will only be replaced by a fair, inclusive American playoff by a combination of the following pressures:
1). BCS University Pressure;
2). Non – BCS University Pressure;
3). BCS Conference Administrators Pressure;
4). American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Pressure;
5). Football Bowl Association (FBA) Pressure;
6). NCAA Pressure;
7). Political Pressure;
8). Student – Athlete Pressure;
9). Journalistic Pressure;
10). Corporate Pressure;
11). Public / Fan Pressure; and
12). Legal Pressure.
BCS UNIVERSITY / NON – BCS UNIVERSITY PRESSURE
We can put pressure on BCS and non – BCS Universities / Presidents / Chancellors / Boards of Directors / Trustees / Athletic Directors / Head Football Coaches to reject the BCS and adopt a fair, inclusive American playoff. Included at the end of this section are the following 2 EXHIBITS:
1). “EXHIBIT A: NON – BCS CONFERENCES / UNIVERSITIES / PRESIDENTS / ENROLLMENT / 2005 ATHLETIC BUDGETS” – This EXHIBIT importantly has the name, phone number, and e – mail address of the non – BCS university Presidents / Chancellors; and
2). “EXHIBIT B: BCS CONFERENCES / UNIVERSITIES / PRESIDENTS / ENROLLMENT / 2005 ATHLETIC BUDGETS” - This EXHIBIT importantly has the name, phone number, and e – mail address of the BCS university Presidents / Chancellors.
Contact the Presidents / Chancellors / Boards of Directors / Trustees / Athletic Directors / Head Football Coaches of the Division 1 – A / FBS Universities in your state and favorite conference and demand the replacement of the BCS with a fair, inclusive playoff! Frankly, if all the BCS Presidents / Chancellors agreed to this goal, the system would change virtually overnight (actually, probably after some existing BCS contracts expire).
BCS CONFERENCE ADMINISTRATORS PRESSURE
The BCS Presidents / Chancellors and Conference Administrators have the power to replace the BCS with a fair, inclusive American playoff. Contact these following BCS and non – BCS Conference Commissioners and demand a playoff:
1). Atlantic Coast Conference - Commissioner John Swofford (also BCS Commissioner) at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Mike Finn, mfinn@theacc.org
2). Big East Conference - Commissioner Michael A. Tranghese at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Chuck Sullivan, csullivan@bigeast.org
3). Big 10 Conference - Commissioner James E. Delany at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Scott Chipman, schipman@bigten.org
4). Big 12 Conference - Commissioner Dan Beebe at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Bob Burda, bob@big12sports.com
5). Pacific – 10 Conference - Commissioner Tom Hansen at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Jim Muldoon, jmuldoon@pac-10.org
6). Southeastern Conference - Commissioner Mike Slive at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Charles Bloom, cbloom@sec.org
7). Mountain West Conference - Commissioner Craig Thompson at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Javan Hedlund, jhedlund@TheMWC.com
8). Conference USA - Commissioner Britton Banowsky at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Russell Anderson, rdanderson@c-usa.org
9). Mid - American Conference - Commissioner Rick Chryst at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Gary Richter, grichter@mac-sports.com
10). Sun Belt Conference - Commissioner Wright Waters at the Football Contact's e-mail address, John McElwain, mcelwain@sunbeltsports.org
11). Western Athletic Conference - Commissioner Karl Benson at the Football Contact's e-mail address, Dave Chaffin, dchaffin@wac.org
AMERICAN FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION (AFCA) PRESSURE
Like many of the BCS University Presidents / Chancellors of their schools, many Head Football Coaches will have a self - interest to not replace the BCS with a fair, inclusive American playoff. Many of them have contract incentives based on BCS rankings, bowl games attended, national championships won, etc. Yet, many of them may have started their professional careers at non – BCS schools (e.g., BCS Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer previously coached at non – BCS schools, Utah, Bowling Green, and Colorado State) and personally experienced (with their families) the unfair treatment of the BCS toward them, their fellow non – BCS coaches / school officials, and their non – BCS student – athletes / teams / universities. They know very well how corrupt and wrong the BCS system is since they (and their families) personally experienced and felt its resultant pain, anger, and frustration. Please encourage them to unite as a professional coaching body and collectively call for a fair, inclusive American playoff! The American Football Coaches Association's website is www.afca.com/
FOOTBALL BOWL ASSOCIATION (FBA) PRESSURE
It is also requested that the Football Bowl Association (FBA) (see www.footballbowlassociation.com) , its Chairman and Executive Committee, consider that many of the owners of the bowls are civic and non – profit organizations dedicated to the welfare of their communities. It is hypocritical and wrong for 1 bowl to benefit its community unfairly at the expense of other communities (e.g., the non – BCS universities / student – athletes / regular students / communities, etc.). After all, each of the FBA bowls will become a part of the playoff! Express your support for a fair, inclusive American playoff by contacting the following FBA officials:
• Paul J. Hoolahan, FBA Chairman, Allstate Sugar Bowl, 504-828-2440, paulh@sugarbowl.com ;
• Mark Neville, FBA Marketing & Public Relations Committee, 619-283-5808, ext. 309, mneville@holidaybowl.com ;
• Mike Reilley at mreilley@baileylauerman.com ; and
• The representative for each bowl in EXHIBIT C: AMERICAN FOOTBALL BOWL ASSOCIATION (FBA) BOWL REPRESENTATIVES
NCAA PRESSURE
Contact NCAA President Myles Brand and all members of the NCAA Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and Management Council and ask them to assume proper responsibility for achieving the NCAA's stated Mission Statement / Brand. They should replace the BCS and sponsor / administer a fair, inclusive Division 1 – A / FBS American playoff for a national championship. The NCAA presently administers 88 national championships in 23 different sports in 3 Divisions for its 1,200 member institutions (including a 16 – team national championship playoff for Division 1 – AA / FCS football)! Encourage the NCAA to do with college football what is has done with CBS and the $6 billion, 11 - year contract for television rights for regular season and tournament NCAA basketball games. A shrewd and wise NCAA steward would combine the billion - dollar NCAA basketball deal with a billion - dollar Division 1 – A / FBS playoff deal and request competitive market bids for the combined collegiate basketball / football playoff package from companies such as ESPN / ESPN2 / ABC / Fox / CBS / NBC / NFL Network, etc. This intelligent approach would maximize the NCAA's economic / market control / leverage and the resultant revenues it can distribute to its 1,200 member institutions. It is consistent with successful business models followed by other professional sports such as the Professional Golf Association (PGA) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Contact the NCAA at the following websites:
1). The official website of the NCAA at www.ncaa.org lists some of its organizational purposes under the sections “About the NCAA” and “The NCAA Brand” (i.e., Learning. Balance. Spirit. Community. Fair play. Character.) ;
2). See the extensive organizational chart for NCAA decision – making officials at www.ncaa.org
POLITICAL PRESSURE
It is, frankly, inexcusable why hundreds of members of Congress haven't forced the NCAA to dismantle the BCS and install a fair and open NCAA – administered playoff long ago. All members of Congress that have a non – BCS University in their state are not fully serving the interests of their constituencies! All of us 200 million fair – minded fans need to appeal to them (and the members of Congress representing states with BCS schools) to maximize the political pressure on the NCAA (to follow its Mission Statement / Brand), the BCS university Presidents / Chancellors and their Boards of Directors / Trustees, and the BCS conference Commissioners and their Boards of Directors to immediately replace the BCS with a fair, inclusive American playoff! Contact President – elect Barack Obama (still a Senator from Illinois until he is sworn in as President on January 20, 2009) and your other elected officials and demand the replacement of the BCS with a fair, inclusive American playoff at the following sites:
1). See links / contact information for the President and Vice President, all members of Congress, newspapers, talk shows, television networks, etc. at www.conservativeusa.org and
2). See an informative site listing all the state Attorneys General and their contact information at www.naag.org
STUDENT – ATHLETE PRESSURE
There are approximately 5,300 NCAA student – athletes playing Division 1 – A / FBS football representing the non – BCS programs. They all dream of the chance of competing for a national championship (just like the other 380,000 NCAA student – athletes participating in 23 NCAA championship sports). These non – BCS football players will realistically never have an opportunity to play for a national championship under the current BCS system. The BCS discriminates against them. In addition, there is a form of double discrimination occurring because of the BCS. An estimated 50% to 60% of these non – BCS football student – athletes are African – American. Their opportunities are not being enhanced by the BCS. These Student – Athletes (and other students) need to put pressure on their Presidents / Chancellors and their Presidents / Chancellors / Boards of Directors / Trustees / Athletic Directors / Head Football Coaches to replace the BCS with a fair, inclusive American playoff.
JOURNALISTIC PRESSURE
College football fans nationwide admire the honest and aggressive journalists / sports commentators that actually describe the BCS as it really is and promote a fair and open American playoff. This document is being sent to journalists and sports writers / editors / sports talk show hosts and commentators across the US. It is asked that those that receive it to please forward a copy of such to ten (10) of their closest associates in their industry (with a request that they also forward it to ten (10) more of their industry peers, etc.). Contact newspapers, television networks, and sports and other talk show hosts at these 2 links, www.conservativeusa.org and www.radioandrecords.com.
CORPORATE PRESSURE
The name, The Walt Disney Company (Disney) (i.e., parent corporation of ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2), creates visions of Tinkerbelle, your favorite Disneyland ride (i.e., Pirates of the Caribbean is mine), the mouseketeers, and the grandfatherly, kind, creative genius himself, Walt Disney. There is no other company that has epitomized all that is good and right in America. That is why it shocking to many to realize that this company that many Americans grew up loving and admiring plays such a huge role in the biased, flawed BCS system (and, indirectly, against a fair, inclusive American playoff). Where is the sense of goodness, fair play, and American values that this great company, Disney, has always stood for and projected worldwide? Somewhere, it has lost not only its revered founder, but also its own way.
In 2001, the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl, then operated by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, had struggled at times to draw 25,000 fans and hadn't been doing great financially. Disney's ESPN purchased the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl in 2001 and began not just televising college football bowl games, but owning and operating them too (thus avoiding broadcast rights fees for such bowl games). Following a vertical integration strategy, ESPN since has created and bought 5 more bowl games (i.e., Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, New Mexico Bowl, St. Petersburg Bowl, and PapaJohn's.com Bowl). Disney, corporate parent of ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC, aired 23 of the 32 bowls in 2006. This season, 27 of the 34 bowls will be aired by Disney networks. ESPN just executed a contract with the BCS to broadcast the BCS games in 2011 through 2014 (at a price of $125 million annually), bringing Disney's total of aired bowls to 32 of 34 bowls (i.e., the Insight Bowl and Texas Bowl are broadcast by the NFL Network). It is no surprise that ESPN broadcasters / sportswriters publically favor the BCS and dismiss a playoff.
We, 200 million true college football fans, need to appeal to the Chairman of the Board / Chief Executive Officer / Board of Directors of Disney and News Corporation (i.e., parent corporation of Fox Sports), whose “fair and balanced” Fox News programs is enjoyed by many, to please assume honorable corporate responsibility and promote a fair, inclusive American playoff by contracting with the proper representative of the Division 1 – A / FBS universities and their student – athletes, an honorable NCAA.
The President / Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Disney is Robert A. Iger and the members of Disney's Board of Directors are
• John E. Pepper, Jr. (Chairman of the Board)
• Susan E. Arnold
• John E. Bryson
• John S. Chan
• Judith L. Estrin
• Robert A. Iger
• Steven P. Jobs
• Fred H. Langhammer
• Aylwin B. Lewis
• Monica C. Lozano
• Robert W. Matschullat; and
• Orin C. Smith.
Disney's corporate website is at (corporate.disney.go.com) and its corporate headquarters is located at The Walt Disney Company, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California 91521 – 9722. Two (2) e-mail addresses that can be used to contact Disney officials are investor.relations@disneyonline.com and TWDC.Corp.Communications@disney.com We, true 200 million college football fans, need to contact Disney's President / CEO Iger, Chairman of the Board Pepper, and all the other members of Disney's Board of Directors at these e-mail addresses and mailing address to protest the BCS and demand its replacement with a fair, inclusive American playoff (consistent with Disney values)!
PUBLIC / FAN PRESSURE
We are 200 million strong favoring a fair, inclusive American playoff to the BCS and we will affect change if we make an effort by exerting the many pressures noted here on the BCS, BCS Conferences, and BCS University Presidents / Chancellors / Boards of Directors / Trustees / Athletic Directors / Head Football Coaches, Disney, and the other groups noted herein!
LEGAL PRESSURE
We, the 200 million college football fans that prefer a playoff to the BCS, must exert pressure and we can do it in a number of ways (as noted previously). This BCSWatchdog / AAAW site will raise the funds to put legal pressure on the BCS through an antitrust lawsuit. A critical legal point to remember is that if an antitrust litigation is successful against the BCS, the tax – exempt / deductible status of such is pierced and the BCS' revenues may become taxable. Concurrently, all the currently tax – deductible donations made by alumni / boosters to BCS universities may also lose their tax – exempt / deductible status and become taxable to the alumni donors / contributors.
MUST READ ONLINE ARTICLES / EXHIBITS – The following articles are excellent online articles regarding this very complex subject matter:
a). A revealing and excellent January 5, 2007 article by Josh Peter, Yahoo! Sports, entitled, “Playoff plunderer”. This article discusses the power and influence in college athletics of James Edward “Jim” Delaney, BCS Big Ten commissioner (arguably the most powerful official in college football). Delaney and former BCS SEC commissioner Roy Kramer forged the BCS 8 years ago, sports.yahoo.com
b). June 2004 comprehensive and excellent report for the Knight Commission On Intercollegiate Athletics entitled, “Division 1 – A Postseason Football History and Status” by UCLA researcher, John Sandbrook, at www.knightcommission.org
c). An excellent December 17, 2006 article written by Staff Writer Brent Schrotenboer of the San Diego Union – Tribune newspaper entitled, “Bowls gone wild!” at www.signonsandiego.com
d). USA TODAY article by Steve Wieberg updated September 21, 2006 entitled, “Tycoon's $165M gift to Oklahoma State raises both hopes and questions” at www.usatoday.com
e). An revealing Forbes article on the top 15 most valuable college football programs can be read at www.forbes.com
f). See links / contact information for the US President and Vice President, all members of Congress, newspapers, etc. at www.conservativeusa.org
g). See an informative site listing all the state Attorneys General and their contact information at www.naag.org
h). The official website for the Presidential Coalition for Athletic Reform is at coalition.tulane.edu
i). The grades by the experts on the recruiting classes of all Division 1 – A programs are at rivals100.rivals.com This website, rivals100.com, has ranked all 119 programs based on the quality of their 2007 recruiting class;
j). The official website of the NCAA at www.ncaa.org lists some of its organizational purposes under the sections, “The NCAA Brand” and “Diversity and Inclusion”. Also see the informative “2005 NCAA 2005 MEMBERSHIP REPORT” at such site;
k). See contact information on all NCAA Division 1 – A schools and Presidents / Chancellors at web1.ncaa.org
l). See the extensive organizational chart for NCAA decision – making officials at www.ncaa.org
m). See copies of 2004 – 2005 NCAA Financial Reports for Division 1 – A at www2.indystar.com
n). An interesting summary of the antitrust issues and the BCS can be read at http://www.geocities.com
o). The official web site of the American Football Bowl Association (FBA) is at www.footballbowlassociation.com with interesting information such as bowl attendance and television rating; and
p). See an excellent summary of the avoidable controversies caused by the biased and broken BCS at en.wikipedia.org
q). This comprehensive site compares the Associated Press Poll (AP) preseason polls with its final post bowl season polls, see preseason.stassen.com
r). See an excellent article on bowl payouts at www.usatoday.com/
s ). “EXHIBIT A: NON – BCS CONFERENCES / UNIVERSITIES / PRESIDENTS / ENROLLMENT / 2005 ATHLETIC BUDGETS” – This EXHIBIT importantly has the name, phone number, and e – mail address of the non – BCS university Presidents / Chancellors (this EXHIBIT is included at the end of this document);
t). “EXHIBIT B: BCS CONFERENCES / UNIVERSITIES / PRESIDENTS / ENROLLMENT / 2005 ATHLETIC BUDGETS” - This EXHIBIT importantly has the name, phone number, and e – mail address of the BCS university Presidents / Chancellors (this EXHIBIT is included at the end of this document); and
u). “EXHIBIT C: AMERICAN FOOTBALL BOWL ASSOCIATION (FBA) BOWL REPRESENTATIVES” – This EXHIBIT lists contact information for all the postseason bowls.
DISCLAIMER - Some of those that visit this website may consider it to be “politically incorrect”, just as the BCS has not been and is not presently “politically correct.” The intent of this website is not to offend, only to enlighten, educate, and candidly explain how the BCS operates in a biased, unfair, and un - American manner. Nearly all of the research for this website was completed in December 2006 (or earlier). The initial goal was to capitalize on the momentum regarding this issue and launch the website shortly after the January 8, 2007 National Championship game. Unfortunately, this goal was not met. Some of the information in this website needs further updating. The date of a year may be off, a calculation done wrong, or a name, phone number / e - mail address noted incorrectly in an EXHIBIT / TABLE, but these mistakes are immaterial and do not alter the basic conclusion of this website – that the un – American BCS hurts both BCS and non – BCS schools and must be replaced by a fair and inclusive American playoff administered by an honorable NCAA!
Website launched December 7, 2008 - let us always remember Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) and our Veterans / Armed Forces Personnel!
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