Obama Administration May Investigate Controversial College Football Bowl System

[The Straight Story]

Obama Administration May Investigate Controversial College Football Bowl System



ABC News’ Karen Travers reports:

President Obama has made it abundantly clear that he does not like the current system for naming a national championship team in college football.

Now his administration may take action on behalf of him and the countless other sports fans who oppose college football’s Bowl Championship Series (BCS), the controversial system by which a national champion is crowned every January.

In a letter to Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich said the Justice Department is deciding if it will investigate whether the BCS system violates antitrust laws. The Republican lawmaker had written to the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division last October requesting such an investigation.

In his four-page letter, an exhaustive explanation and dissection of the complex BCS system, Weich said that the department is exploring several options to address the concerns of those opposed to the current system, including asking the Federal Trade Commission to examine its legality under consumer protection laws and having a governmental or non-governmental body or commission study the possibility of a playoff system.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/01/obama-administration-may-investigate-controversial-college-football-bowl-system.html

[msongs]

1. talk about a complete waste of tax payer money on something totally meaningless.... nt

[realFedUp]

2. Ahhhh, geez.

Don't we have better things to do with our so-called Justice Dept.???
It's just the Bullshit College System

[BeyondGeography]

3. I'd prefer a study on how the emphasis on football is warping universities

but I know that's a hopelessley high-minded path to political death.

[Cirque du So-What]

4. Despite those who dismiss college sports out-of-hand

these games generate billions for schools every year. It's not going to to away - no matter how much complaining occurs. There are simply too many people willing to support their teams by purchasing tickets and merchandise. It was a $4.3B business last year.

IMO it's completely appropriate for the federal government to regulate the highly-lucrative bowl games. I realize it's impossible to remove graft & corruption from the process, but there's a need for legislation that ensures a more equitable system.

[tallahasseedem]

10. Exactly...

I am an alumni of Florida State University where football is taken very seriously and generates millions. The system should definitely be changed.

[FLDCVADem]

11. Why? n/t

[Igel]

13. Is it about graft and corruption?

Or about being equitable?

And how do you define "equitable"?

Then when there's a series of bad calls by referees against a team, do we have high-ranking political boosters of that team call for an investigation? If not, why not?

Geesh, it's like we all are still wearing diapers.

[11 Bravo]

15. You're wasting your time. Sports are the low-hanging fruit which some DUers use ...

to demonstrate how truly serious and gravitas laden they are. It makes them feel better to ridicule sports fans as being somehow lightweight. I am inclined to pity those who feel the need to run down something about which they know nothing in order to somehow validate their own existence.

[1]

5. it's about time. thank you obama...

[RB TexLa]

6. What authority does the federal government have to do anything about how colleges handle their

intercollegiate activities?

The NCAA has chosen to not have a sactioned playoff in 1-A football. Even if they did chose to have one, the schools could chose to not particapte. When Grambling or Southern win the SWAC they tell the NCAA thanks but no thanks to the playoff bid for the 1-AA playoffs so they can play in the Bayou Classic.

[FLDCVADem]

9. They shouldn't have any authority

I can't believe this is even being considered. Who cares?

[Individualist]

7. They're investigating the college bowl system but not Bush administration crimes.

Isn't that just too special!

:banghead:

[MercutioATC]

8. Well, HCR is done, Gitmo is closed, we're all employed. What else does the WH have to do?

Oh, wait....

[Karmadillo]

12. What an inspirational administration! Sis Boom Bah! (humbug)

nt

[Thothmes]

14. What a waste of the tax payers time and resources

who give a good god damed who is the "national collage football champion"

[557188]

16. Ridiculous

Waste of money. Freeze spending on stuff that matters while doing bullshit like this?

Nothing more needs to be said.