November Q&A - Part II with Jay Bilas, ESPN Analyst

 

 1.) I was listening to a Jalen Rose podcast recently and he talked about the challenges high school basketball players have transitioning to the college game. One of his key points was the lack of rule standardization at the high school level. For example, he mentioned a standard shot clock time doesn’t exist in all high school games. Do you agree and what are other factors that make the transition difficult? How can the situation be fixed?


 The transition has always been somewhat difficult, for some more than others, but the players handle it better now than they ever have. Players today are more mature in the game, and have traveled more extensively and played more games than Jalen and I ever did in our eras. On the clock issue, I agree with Jalen. I think the game should be standardized on every level, with the only difference being the length of games. In pee-wee basketball, the goal should be lowered so that the players can learn to shoot without having to heave the ball.


 The transition to college can be and often is difficult for every student, including athletes. There is an adjustment period, but these players figure it out. Allowing players to attend summer school before their freshman seasons is a great thing, and a tremendous help.


 2.) When I was growing up, I had the pleasure of seeing most basketball players mature and develop at the collegiate level before moving on to the pros. As a fan, it’s hard for me to see that development happening in the pros, but is there any way for us to get back to student athletes staying through their junior or senior year?


 The only way is for the NBA to change its eligibility rule for the NBA Draft, and that won’t happen anytime soon. There is just too much money in today’s game to expect players to stay longer than they have to. When I was in school, players stayed longer largely because there wasn’t the money available that there is now. But, it will never be the same unless the NBA institutes a rule like the NFL has, where players essentially have to stay in school for three years.


 I have always found it funny that some find it “un-American” for the NBA to keep a basketball player out of the league for a whole year, when the NFL does not allow any players into its league for three full years, with no exceptions. I happen to believe that college is a good thing for every person that has the chance to go. Of course, some may not want to go for four years, but my advice to any young person would be to go to college.


 3.) How can college players become better prepared for the NBA?


 Any player is better prepared when he is older and more physically and emotionally mature. There are exceptions to that general rule, but I believe the NBA would be better off with a more finished product coming out of college, and that would take development costs out of the equation and strengthen college basketball.


 It is not the NBA’s job to strengthen college basketball, but it would help the NBA product, in my judgment. The best preparation for the NBA is to be a complete player, and a mature and educated person. One can develop in those areas once in the NBA, but for long term success, it is better to be fully prepared upon arrival into the league.


 4.) In a recent USA Today article by Eric Prisbell, he explains that college coaches feel that third-party individuals and agents are the biggest threat to college basketball and football. Would you agree and how can it be fixed?


 Calling anyone outside the players and NCAA “third parties” shows a degree of arrogance on the part of the NCAA. It presumes that the only two legitimate parties to a relationship are the NCAA and the player. To me, this is very simple: all the NCAA should be concerned with is that every player is a full-time student and athlete, and the NCAA should administer championships. Most everything else can be left to the schools themselves. We are just talking about sports here. These schools do not need a governing body with such intense regulation in their conduct of other business, it certainly doesn’t need it with regard to sports. It is a colossal waste of time and money, and has resulted in a gigantic athletic complex that is impossible to justify.


 Agents are not a threat, except within the context of the current rule structure. Coaches have agents, broadcasters have agents, and some university administrators have agents. The problem is that the NCAA rules of amateurism and “third party” relationships eliminate all ethical agents from the equation and give open field running to all unethical agents. Legitimate agency relationships are governed by binding contracts. If players were allowed to have agents, they would be bound by contracts. That would provide the agent and the player legal remedies if others were to intrude upon that contractual relationship.


 The NCAA has created an underground economy with its rules, which seems to necessitate more and more rules. If players were allowed to enter into legitimate business contracts with agents, sponsors, advertisers and the like, the system would work very cleanly. It amazes me how these colleges and universities, not to mention the NCAA itself, can enter into complex global business transactions every single day, yet when anything involving player rights or compensation is brought up, everyone just throws up their hands and says, “It’s just too complicated! There is no way to figure it all out!” Of course, that’s silly. This can be figured out. The NCAA simply doesn’t want to, and wants to keep all of the money for itself.


 5.) Help our readers understand what is flawed in your opinion about the AAU system/basketball development and recruiting and how it can be improved, and what are the positive aspects of the AAU system?


 The summer basketball culture has many positive aspects, but the negatives are the exploitation of the players. Because the players are subject to NCAA rules even when in high school, especially rules that restrict contact with college coaches and the acceptance of “extra benefits,” players are subject to people taking advantage of them. The truth is, these players have tremendous monetary value when they are in high school, and NCAA rules have always restricted college coaches from having contact with them. I have always thought that was crazy. Our college coaches are terrific. Why would we limit their contact with young athletes? When contact is restricted, it allows others to gain even greater influence over the players and puts college coaches at a disadvantage. I have never understood that.


 Instead of having a college coach able to call a player, he has to deal with people around that player, which empowers those “third parties” even more. That makes no sense, especially when the rest of the free world has unfettered access to the player. There is no reason why I should be able to call a player anytime I want when a college coach is restricted to only one phone call per week, and a certain amount of in-person contact. That simply allows others to gain influence at the expense of college coaches. If we really believe that college is the right place for a player, we shouldn’t restrict the coaches from talking to, getting to know, and being a positive influence on younger players. Those rules are changing now, but should be opened up even more.


 6.) It would seem that quite a few high-profile basketball players transfer between high schools and that trend seems to be growing in college. Is this an issue that needs to be addressed and how so?


 The “problem” is the ridiculous philosophy of the NCAA on “student-athletes” and the absurd regulatory structure on transfers. First, the NCAA says, ad nauseum, that an athlete is to be treated just like any other student, and that an athlete is a student that just happens to be an athlete. Of course, that is ridiculous. But, if the NCAA insists on such nonsense, no student other than an athlete is restricted in any way from leaving one school and attending another and accepting financial aid or any other benefit. There is no “year in residence” or year off of a chosen activity for any other student. There is also no such thing as “tampering.” How can you tamper with an unpaid, amateur student? Restricting transfers does not wash given the NCAA’s state philosophy on athletes, and every argument falls apart. If an athlete is really just an amateur student, he or she should be allowed to come and go as they please.


 Competitive balance may require some reasonable restrictions, but the NCAA would have to acknowledge that these players are assets of the university, have significant monetary value, and are allowed to realize that value in order to restrict them. Right now, transfers in certain sports sit out a year, and other sports can be eligible right away. That shows how ridiculous the current transfer policies are. Plus, having NCAA restrictions and conference restrictions has provided a complicated structure that is just silly. Truthfully, there are far too many silly rules. The transfer rules are just a few of them.


 7.) What are your predictions for the future of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament? For example, do you think the format will change, the number of eligible teams will differ, venues will change, or the entity that controls/manages it will change, etc.?


 It will continue to get bigger, but not for a while. Television wanted more programming and will continue to get it. The NCAA can’t help it. The great thing is the NCAA Tournament is idiot proof, and has proven itself to be so. It is still one of the best sporting events in the world. Its tremendous success and appeal have, however, had a negative effect on the regular season and have devalued it.


 8.) Why not rebrand conference basketball tournaments as the 1st round of the NCAA Tournament so that everyone really does get in?


 Why would we have to do that? In my judgment, that is just another way to say ‘everybody gets a trophy.” Division I is simply too big. There should not be 350 teams, and the NCAA Tournament should not have so many average to middling teams in it. Instead of having all of these automatic qualifiers that cannot compete or win, it would be better to simply take the 64 best teams. That would allow in more quality mid-major teams that have a legitimate chance to win, but are left out because spots are now taken up by non-competitive automatic qualifiers.


 The NCAA Tournament should be about competition and merit among the very best teams, not a Little League mentality of everybody gets three innings. This is, after all, the National Championship. I’m not crazy about the automatic bid. I would prefer taking the best 64 teams. That would provide us with the best majors, and the best mid-majors. Now, we don’t have that.


 9.) It’s my perception that coaches like John Calipari receive more public scrutiny than others, and that scrutiny in part seems to be associated with the use of “one-and-done” players. Is the scrutiny fair?


 I like and respect John Calipari very much. He is a great coach that has done a remarkable job, and has done something I thought was impossible. I didn’t think that anyone could take so many freshmen and mold them into such hardworking, unselfish teams, and to win at that rate. It has been one of the greatest achievements in college basketball history.


 John has worked within the rules and has effectively dealt with the current landscape in a creative way. He does not moralize or hide the fact that his players have great value and are future pros. He has recruited some outstanding players and terrific young men. And, he has done a remarkable job coaching them to play together. Amazing. I believe the NCAA rule structure actually leads to a lot of this silly questioning of character and ethics. I promise you, John was not the only coach recruiting the players he ultimately got at Kentucky. There was a long line. He just won.


 10.) Who is the greatest college basketball coach of all time, Pat Summit or John Wooden? If not one of those two who would you pick?


 I don’t believe you can pick just one person as the greatest of all-time. While it is difficult to imagine anyone being better than Wooden or Summit, I think you can make a credible case for Mike Krzyzewski, Dean Smith, and Bob Knight. I think those are the Mount Rushmore of the college game.


 11.) We can agree that Ron Burt is the most underrated Duke Blue Devil of all time, right?


 I am a bit partial to Vince Crump and Richard Ford, but Ron is a good call. He was a great teammate on the title team in 1992. His mustache in 1992 was the envy of Billy Dee Williams.


 12.) Who would you say had a better performance in the 1989 Columbia Pictures movie, ‘I Come In Peace’, you or Dolph Lundgren? In all seriousness, it would appear you may have initially set out to be an actor after basketball. Is that accurate and is the dream gone?


 As talented an actor as Dolph is, it really isn’t close. My performance as the Good Alien in that film was worthy of an Oscar, and the Academy Award snub was politically motivated and a real low point for the Academy. I know that my death scene in the back of the car brought each of Brando, Olivier and Uta Hagen to tears.


 I did some acting, mostly in commercials, and got into the Screen Actors Guild in 1989. My agent at the time sent me on an audition to see if I would like the process and I got the part as the Alien Cop. I thought about staying in the business, but I was accepted into law school and Coach K offered me a position on his coaching staff. I thought that was too good to turn down. What a lucky break that decision was for Tom Hanks.


 13) For our readers that don’t follow you on Twitter, give us your favorite Bill Raftery (one of my all-time favorite commentators) story?


 Bill Raftery is simply the best. I am so lucky to work with him and count him as such a close friend. Here’s one: When we were doing a game in South Bend, we stayed at the Marriott. Bill, Sean McDonough and I had a game two days after the Notre Dame game in Miwaukee, and we decided to drive to that game from South Bend. The trouble was, we had three rental cars. So, we decided to take two of them back to the airport and all pile into my car. When we were leaving to take the cars to the airport, Bill couldn’t find his car. He walked every aisle of the parking deck, up and down, pressing the button on his key fob trying to find his car. Then, McDonough asked him where he had dinner on Saturday night. Raftery put both hands to his head and shouted “Oh no, I left it at Parisi’s!” We went and got the car, returned it to the airport, and made our way to Milwaukee. The next night when we came on the air, McDonough said, “Good evening and welcome to the Bradley Center, I’m Sean McDonough along with Jay Bilas and the star of ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’ – Bill Raftery.” We still laugh at that every time we are in South Bend together.


 14.) Some of our readers may not be aware that you have a law degree. Are you currently a practicing attorney and what is/was your area of expertise?


 I am Of Counsel with the firm of Moore and Van Allen in Charlotte, North Carolina. I was a commercial litigator for many years before devoting all of my time to basketball.

The University of Southern California - Heritage Hall Renovation

 

 USC Athletics with the help of DLR Group is focusing on renovating Heritage Hall into a proper public showcase of the proud Trojan history. The project will cost about $35 million and should take around a year (groundbreaking in January 2013) from start to finish.

 The Heritage Hall re-design is all part of the $300 million Heritage Initiative, which includes the John McKay Center as well as future capital projects like the Uytengsu Aquatics Center and the Merle Norman Sand Volleyball Stadium.

October Q&A - Part I with Jay Bilas, ESPN Analyst

1. Who were your role models growing up and who were your role models as you transitioned into television?

My dad was my role model, and there has never been a day when I have felt I was even half the man my dad is. As a player growing up in Los Angeles, I was a big admirer of David Meyers of UCLA when I was younger. I was also a big fan of Bill Walton. Once I got to high school, I loved Magic Johnson because he was my size and could do anything on a basketball court. I, clearly, could not. As a broadcaster, my role models have been people like Bill Raftery, Doug Collins, Robin Roberts, Hubie Brown, Doris Burke, and Dick Vitale. I see them as the gold standards in the game.

2. Do you classify yourself as a journalist, and who are some of your favorite journalists and writers?

No, I am a basketball guy that got a job talking on television. Of the many basketball writers I admire, I would put guys like Frank Burlison, Mitch Chortkoff, Dick Weiss, Jim O’Connell, Jackie MacMullen, Michael Wilbon, Bob Ryan and Mike DeCourcy at the top of the list of my contemporaries. As a kid, I read Jim Murray everyday with the Los Angeles Times. He was marvelous.

3. You’re a proponent of the NCAA adopting the Olympic Model where student athletes could realize their fair market value as opposed to getting paid by their individual universities. Are you a proponent because this helps solve a certain problem or problems in college athletics or is more about fairness?

I believe it would solve some problems, but that’s not why I advocate it. It is an issue of fundamental fairness. There is no legitimate reason or policy justification to restrict only one segment of college sports, the athletes, from benefitting beyond a scholarship in a multi-billion dollar business. Amateurism provides nothing of value to the athlete or to the educational process. It is an antiquated remnant of a time when the elite did not want to compete against the common man. No college athlete is a better student, athlete or person because of his or her amateurism. Amateurism does not make one love the game more, or care about the game more. Amateurs do not have integrity in greater measure than do pros. And, money has no negative effect on the educational process or the value of an athlete’s education. We can tell that from the number of professional baseball players that also play college football, some of them millionaires. The fact that they are professional does not separate them from their teammates or make them lesser students. It is all a well preserved myth.

I am not saying and never have advocated that colleges must pay athletes. However, I do not believe it is fair or right for the NCAA to restrict any athlete or any person to expenses only, especially when every other person in the system is allowed to benefit at market rates. There is no legitimate reason to restrict any athlete from profiting from his or her name, likeness or ability level outside of the university. These players have value in the marketplace, and it is being improperly and unfairly impacted by amateurism restrictions. No other student is so restricted. In fact, no other person in a university setting is so restricted. Athletes are restricted while the NCAA says that athletes are to be treated just like any other student, and that athletes are students that just happen to be athletes. Clearly, that is absurd.

The only amateurs in major American sport are college athletes and amateur golfers. The difference is that amateur golfers choose whether and when they play, and whether and when they practice. In addition, amateur golf does not make any money. In contrast, college sports are a multi-billion dollar industry with lucrative media rights deals, merchandising, ticket sales, licensing revenues and the like. College athletes are told when and where they will play, and there is no choice in the matter. College athletes are like employees in the conditions under which they are expected to perform, yet are restricted to “expenses only.” The USGA does not pay the high salaries the NCAA does. College sport is a professional enterprise that simply doesn’t allow its “labor” any benefit beyond expenses. For the athlete to be restricted in that way, and only the athlete, while others in the system are free to accept whatever compensation the market will allow, is profoundly immoral.

4. Let me propose a slightly different theory. What about a University Office of Commercialism at each institution or conference where student athletes can actually be taught how to be entrepreneurs, run a business, grow their brand, make money on themselves, etc.? Sort of an in-house agency if you will. In other words, use making money a teaching tool as opposed to believing that it’s corruptive or corrosive?

Clearly, there are a lot of things that can be done. Of course, it would also provide another layer of athletic administration that would be high cost for very little benefit to the athlete. However, I don’t believe there needs to be a central authority overseeing what is taught to athletes and how. The NCAA is an association of institutions of higher learning. They know, as some of their core functions, how to evaluate, admit and educate their students. There is no need to regulate how they educate their students. Each school can be trusted to handle their business, just as they are trusted to hand out degrees and admit students in any other category. I don’t believe the NCAA needs to over-regulate this area, too. The NCAA should concern itself with the administration of athletic competition, not police eligibility, education and the individual autonomy of institutions. The NCAA has proven that it is not very good at those things, while it is quite good at putting on events and making money.

5. It appears to me that you are not a huge fan of the NCAA. If you had to boil down your reasoning to a few key points, what are they?

I can understand where you get that idea, but it isn’t accurate. I am a fan of the NCAA when it stays within its lane, and I am a huge fan of the NCAA’s people, who are great people with noble intentions. I served as a member of the NCAA Long Range Planning Committee while I was in college, and I believe in certain aspects of the stated mission. I believe I have demonstrated that I value athletics, and I value education. I certainly believe in the autonomy of each institution.
However, the educational value of athletics does not begin when one enters college, and it does not end when one leaves college. The NCAA would have us all believe otherwise. The educational value of sports comes not from the collegiate component, but from athletics competition itself. The same valuable lessons of athletics can be and are learned on the little league level, the high school level, the college level and the pro level. The educational value of sports has nothing to do with college, and has nothing to do with money, either the presence or absence of money.

I believe the NCAA has too many bad policies that simply cannot be justified. There are far too many contradictions, and too many presidents and NCAA personnel do far too much moralizing. I am critical of certain NCAA policies with which I differ, from amateurism to the NCAA judicial process, but that is in large measure because I love the game so much, and I believe the NCAA should be held to the same high standards it moralizes for its schools, players and coaches. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t waste my breath. I don’t complain too much about the BCS (except for the lack of a true playoff) because the BCS usually stays within its lane, and simply deals with the administration of athletic competition.

It sounds cynical at times, but the truth is, the NCAA has earned every ounce of skepticism it has garnered over the years. And, many within the gigantic structure agree with me. Not that I had anything to do with it, but several of the changes that are being implemented right now have been the subject of my criticism and ridicule for years now. Now, clearly, many people within college sports now “share my concerns” on those issues. It is also interesting that these issues are the subject of discussion within the NCAA offices, as made clear by internal communications made public recently in the O’Bannon case. Reasonable minds can differ on such matters, but many of the NCAA’s bedrock principles are difficult if not impossible to justify.

6. What do you like about the NCAA?

I like the people that work for the NCAA, and I respect the job they do. I think the NCAA does a marvelous job of putting on championship events, and maximizing revenues from those events. But, I believe the NCAA spends way too much time getting in the way of its member institutions, and its regulatory structure has created a gigantic compliance structure that costs millions upon millions of dollars annually. Remember, we are not transporting heavy explosives, manufacturing pharmaceuticals, or performing surgical procedures here. We are just playing ball. These schools can make their own decisions according to their own standards and policies and then we can play ball on Saturday. The fact that the Ivy League and the SEC operate differently doesn’t mean that those schools cannot play on Saturday and have a great athletic competition. The results on the field do not determine the quality of education at either institution. That is a separate issue, but the NCAA is constantly linking those two things together.

7. Let’s pretend it’s the turn of the century and you get the call from President Roosevelt to start a new association to govern college athletics. Knowing what we know now, what’s your model for the association? You can choose an existing entity or make up a fictional description.

I would have an one national governing body to administer national championship events, and then have sport specific entities formed to administer each particular sport, including a commissioner for each sport. There is no reason that football, basketball, field hockey, bowling and crew should operate out of the same rule book and be governed by the same regulatory structure. Smaller entities that are responsible only for that sport can move faster and more efficiently, and be more proactive to the changing landscape in each game. I see that as being pretty simple. While we have the United States Olympic Committee, we also have USA Basketball, USA Swimming, USA Track and Field and the like. I would also have separate and smaller divisions, especially for basketball and football. There is no justification for the size of Division I basketball. It is ridiculous.

8. What was your initial reaction to the NCAA sanctions on Penn State, and how do you feel about it now?

Like everyone else, I was sickened by the crimes and heartbroken for the victims. I was outraged by the inaction of the leadership at Penn State. I still feel that way. However, I did not particularly care for the manner in which the NCAA handled the matter, which was a heavy-handed “cramdown” of penalties on Penn State in what I consider to be a “nation building” exercise. Penn State was threatened with the death penalty in no uncertain terms, and if it did not consent to the findings and sanctions, it would almost certainly have faced worse that it accepted under threat from Mark Emmert. I did not think that was right. Penn State deserved a hearing and the normal process. For those that liken this to a plea bargain, that is after formal charges. There were no formal charges or an opportunity to be heard in this matter. That was simply wrong.

The NCAA is a rules-based organization. Although I differ with its rules, it is simply wrong to preach rules, and then circumvent your own rules and procedures when it suits you. The only rush for the NCAA was to hit Penn State with sanctions before the Nittany Lions took the field again this Fall. That is not a good enough reason, in my judgment.

The haste with which the NCAA acted was unfortunate, and has unintended consequences. To take the Freeh Report, the commissioning of which by Penn State should have been encouraged, and use it as a weapon against Penn State was simply wrong. It serves now as a clear disincentive to investigating yourself, because if you do, you will simply provide the NCAA with a roadmap to sanction your school without going through its normal channels and procedures, and without the thoughtful deliberation this particular case demands.

Lastly, I was quite disappointed that the NCAA would determine institutional culpability while letting the individuals essentially skate. Institutional culpability derives from individual culpability, and it was a failure for the NCAA not to individually sanction Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz and Joe Paterno. When coaches or athletes run afoul of NCAA rules, they are often “disassociated” and slapped with “show cause” orders, or at least public reprimand and censure. That should have been done in this case if the university was to be treated in that fashion. None of that was done, and the NCAA stayed silent on the individuals, most of whom were administrators.

I differed with the NCAA narrative and Freeh conclusion that the ”culture of football” was to blame for these crimes and the lack of an acceptable response by those in charge at Penn State. Football was no more to blame in this case than religion was in the Catholic church scandals, or scouting was in the Boy Scouts scandal. This was about individuals, not the culture of athletics. But, if we really believe that the culture of football was to blame, should we send the National Guard into Tuscaloosa, Columbus, Gainesville, Baton Rouge and Eugene? As horrible as the underling offenses were at Penn State, it is a reach to blame it on football. I thought that was wrong.

9. What’s your reaction to seeing institutions like Kansas, Georgetown and other traditional basketball schools appear to be less “valuable” in the conference realignment discussions?

I don’t think any of those basketball brands is less valuable, but their football teams do not provide media markets that are coveted right now. I hated to see the Big East diminished, but change is inevitable in anything. The Big East was created for basketball, but got left behind as the landscape changed. That was really sad in a way, but the college game will continue to thrive as long as the people administering the game don’t screw it up. From some of the decisions that are made, they appear to be trying! I am confident that all of these schools will still be able to compete, even though the Big East will likely never be the same.

10. Is it possible we are in the “New Coke” era of college athletics? Meaning, there is such a big push to grow and expand that we have forgotten what got us here – strong regional rivalries. Or, are the changes we are seeing part of a healthy evolution?

That is a great question. These decisions have not been about the game or what is best for the game. These decisions have been made for money, markets and media rights deals. When NCAA administrators moralize about integrity and academic fit, it is all boilerplate talking points. This is about money. And, to an extent, there is nothing wrong with that. The problem is that nobody seems to want to admit it, and the tension between the commercialism of the game and the requirement that the players remain amateur is growing, and the chasm between the two is getting wider. That cannot continue and still work, in my judgment.

11. You’re an avid Twitter user. What has the impact of Twitter and other social media been on college athletics?

I think it is all good, and all positive. Can some thoughts, if Tweeted out too quickly or without enough deliberation, give one pause? Sure. But, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I have had a wonderful experience with Twitter. Of the thousands of Tweets I have sent out, there were a few I would like to have back. With my biting sense of humor, you can make mistakes, and I have made a couple. I learned from them, and moved on. My wife was the one that encouraged me to use Twitter. She thought that most people probably saw me as some X and O wonk that was without humor and serious all the time. She thought Twitter would allow me to show more of my personality, that I have other interests, and I can have a laugh, especially at my own expense. She was right. It is a great communication tool, and a lot of fun. Overall, I have really enjoyed Twitter and the interaction with other people that have ideas, but don’t take themselves or things too seriously.

12. Who wins in a swag-off you or Jay-Z?

Please. As much swag as Jay-Z has, it would be a 1-seed versus a 16-seed. My swag and trilliciousness would prevail. My seats are suede and my luggage is Louie.

LOOK FOR PART II OF OUR Q&A NEXT MONTH!

Pinnacle Bank Arena - Lincoln, NE

The University of Nebraska men's and women's basketball programs will have a new home beginning in 2013. Pinnacle Bank Arena, which supersedes the existing Bob Devaney Center and 54-year-old Pershing Center, will help spur local development, elevate Nebraska athletics (both high school and University) and attract national entertainment acts to the heart of the Midwest.

The new arena will be a key component in a progressive $344 million development to grow and enhance the city’s historic Haymarket District located near downtown Lincoln. The development is master planned to include condominiums, hotels, office buildings, restaurants and retail.

Pinnacle Bank Arena will include modern amenities today’s fans and patrons expect. It will feature 16,000 seats, as well as suites, club amenities and loge seating. The facility will respect the history of the surrounding area by sensitively incorporating appropriate architectural elements and materials found nearby, while still establishing its own modern and iconic presence.

View a fly through of the arena here.

Design firm DLR Group, with offices in Lincoln and Omaha, serves as Architect of Record for West Haymarket Arena; while Lincoln firms Bahr Vermeer Haecker Architects and The Clark Enersen Partners serve as associate architects.

Q&A with Judy Rose - Athletic Director for the Charlotte 49ers

1. What advice would you give a female administrator either starting out or considering the business?

Understand time demands of the job. Learn as much as possible about every aspect of running an athletic program…..focus on the business side of sports and fundraising. Never underestimate the importance of networking.

2. What were some of your biggest obstacles in becoming AD?

My path was a little different. In 1990 when I was named AD, I was only the third female in Division I to have that appointment. Our previous AD was also our Head Men’s Basketball Coach, so I pretty much ran the department as an assoc., so he could focus on coaching. The time came when the NC system president said that no basketball or football coach could also be the AD. I was offered the job without a search.

3. What has been the impact of Title IX on your career and on athletics in general?

Title IX played a huge impact by helping me get my first college job coaching women’s basketball at Charlotte. The University was starting women’s basketball due to Title IX. When hired, I had to teach, coach and serve as an administrator, so I got great experience that served me well!!!

4. Is there anything you’d change about Title IX?

Not really……although I dislike that people still blame Title IX for men’s programs being dropped.

5. Some of our readers may not know that you are starting a football program. Tell us about that experience? When is kickoff?

Starting a football program from scratch is quite challenging, but so exciting. We did not have one facility in place that would support football, so, we have been able to plan, design, and construct everything. It is all new, including an on campus stadium that is 95% complete. Folks should check out our webcam of the stadium construction. Kickoff is August 31, 2013, but we have 86 football players enrolled as red shirt student athletes. They are conditioning and practicing every day. VERY EXCITING!!!!

6. I read the athletic programs will now be competing in Conference USA. Will you start competing in football immediately?

All sports (except football) will compete this year in the A-10. Next year (2013) all sports except football will compete in CUSA. Football will compete in CUSA in 2015, the first year that we are FBS eligible per NCAA rules.

7. Take us through the process if a university wants to start a football program and ultimately compete at the DI level?

The first thing you do is contact Steve Malone at the NCAA. He gives expert advice on exactly what you must do within a certain time frame to compete. There are scholarships, scheduling, and attendance criteria that must be met and you must have a firm invitation by a FBS conference to become a member.

8. The 49ers have changed conferences 3 or 4 times in your tenure. Describe that process? Is there resentment, is it expensive, or is it just business?

Changing conferences is not something you necessarily plan; often times it is created due to what those around you are doing. Prior to adding the sport of football, we wanted to be part of a conference that was well respected and strong in basketball. It was also important that all of our sponsored sports were sponsored by the conference. Now, with football, we again searched for an all inclusive conference. We are thrilled to be able to return to CUSA. When we left, we left because of football (because we didn’t have it); now we are returning because of football!!

9. Why move to CUSA?

The opportunity to become a member of a FBS conference, with a start up football program is one we just could not pass up. The members of the league are all quality universities……some that we shared membership in the league before. We are anxious to get to know and compete against the other new members as well.

10. What are the most common misconceptions about NCAA DI Football and in your case starting a program?

Most people don’t understand how expensive it is to field a football program on the collegiate level. The average fan thinks all football programs make money.

11. If I recall correctly, early in your career you worked with Pat Summit. What was it like to work with her?

Working with Pat was an unbelievable experience. She is a very knowledgeable, driven individual, and I learned a tremendous amount from her. We have remained close friends, along with Sylvia Hatchell, Women’s Basketball Coach at UNC Chapel Hill. We were all in graduate school together at Tennessee and get together most every summer.

12. Who is the greatest basketball coach of all time – John Wooden, Pat Summit or Other?

I am biased because I worked with Pat and I know her on a personal basis. I did not have the pleasure of knowing Wooden or others on same level. However, Pat’s accomplishments (both athletically and academically) speak loudly.

13. In the past you were a member of the NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Committee. Describe that experience?

Best professional experience I have had. Extremely time consuming but, extremely rewarding. The committee really does its homework and everyone is over prepared, because you know how important it is that you get it right.

14. You have been a DI-AAA AD and you will be a DI FCS and FBS AD all while at the same institution. How do those classifications impact an institution, athletic department and your job?

I think being a FBS program will help raise the statue of our total athletic program and the perception of the university will be greatly enhanced!!!

15. Who have been your role models and mentors throughout your career and life?

My role models have been both my parents. My mom died when I was 16, but she made a lasting impression on me. Also my coaches. I have had many male role models who kind of adopted me; early in my AD career…..C.M. Newton and Deloss Dodds have both been wonderful friends, mentors, and role models.

16. You were recently surprised with an amazing gift - a university benefactor donated the naming rights to your new fieldhouse and they named it after you. How did you feel at the unveiling?

I was and still am blown away. I am the one that secured the gift of $2.5 million. The party that the Chancellor was having was to recognize the donor and unveil the architectural rendition of the fieldhouse with her name on it. Needless to say, when I unveiled it, streamers went off and the Chancellor asked me to read the name on the building…and it was my name. I was speechless…and you know that doesn’t happen with me!! I am honored, humbled and flattered all at the same time!!

Charlotte 49ers Football Stadium

Students, faculty, alumni, and future student-athletes at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte are eagerly anticipating the 2013 football season. The 49ers will take the field for the first time in school history August 31, 2013, versus the Campbell Camels.

The 49ers' new football stadium will initially boast 15,000 seats. The stadium is designed to grow with the program, with planned expansion to 25,000 and 40,000 seats. Full build-out of 40,000 seats includes premium seating, hospitality, and university functions found in premier stadiums.

DLR Group and local partner Jenkins Peer Architects are designing the facility to create a dynamic game-day experience on campus for 49ers fans and student-athletes. The new stadium will capture everything game day is about, from tailgating and hospitality spaces, to great sightlines for viewing action on the field. Wide concourses and convenient amenities will add to the overall fan experience.

Training facilities at the stadium complex include two natural turf fields and a 45,000 SF football team field house. The field house, located in the stadium’s south end zone with views to the field, creates enclosure for the stadium and is a focal point of the facility design. It includes team locker rooms, sports medicine, strength training, meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, academic spaces and other support facilities. The stadium also has a large outdoor terrace for hospitality events overlooking the football field.

Coming Next Month: PK Park Baseball Stadium at the University of Oregon

July Q&A - Greg Shaheen, Former NCAA Senior Vice President

1. What have you been up to in your post-NCAA era?

I've:
• Enjoyed more than a week in Hilton Head, visited my sister and brother-in-law for the first time, spent a few days with my best childhood friend and my godson (his son) after previously spending a couple hours with them in his first six years of life,
• Taken my mother to dinner every couple weeks (vs. once in the past three years aside from holidays),
• Made trips to Goodwill, my first visit to Costco, donated time at a local foodbank,
• Contacted a few people to connect, reconnect, apologize, to get it right
• Made it to every doctor known to mankind,
• Facilitated three teambuilding sessions with various corporations,
• Re-stuffed my sofa cushions,
... and I’ve slept, laughed, walked, read, smiled, watched, laughed some more, and reacquainted in three months more than I had in the previous 20 years. Combined. I realize now how far I had gotten away from what I enjoy. I've also been fortunate to be included in a few projects that contacted me. It's been interesting. Few people get the opportunity to work on something that is their life's goal, and I not only had that opportunity, but learned a great deal while also making some remarkable friendships along the way. I intend to enjoy a good part of the summer before taking a look at what’s next.

2. There appears to be a lot up in the air in collegiate athletics right now – conference realignment, football post season changes, pending and ongoing litigation, new contract negotiations, etc. Do you think the look of the space is going to drastically change in the next five to 10 years?

Five to 10 years? More like weeks. The environment is marked by continuous change, and to some extent, that’s not new. What feels new is the magnitude of economics, the power that comes with such shifts, and the clear challenge to best serve the intercollegiate athletics mission as change becomes the new norm.

Perhaps naïve, what may be overlooked in nearly all corners is a myriad of well-intentioned people trying to get it right. The issue comes down to how those intentions overlap, coincide, conflict or find free air.

Shocking! Like everything, it will come down to communication.

3. What does it mean when news accounts refer to 1st, 2nd and 3rd tier broadcast rights?

Generally, here’s the rule of thumb:
• First-tier rights are comprised of national broadcast rights of football and(or) basketball.
• Second-tier inventory is an identified collection of football and(or) basketball rights that are not selected by the First-tier rightsholder. In many cases, this is a more robust collection of games than many people might first contemplate.
• Third-tier inventory is comprised of any remaining inventory of football and(or) basketball from the First- and Second-tiers as well as rights to other sports as determined by the conference and its membership. Third-tier packages – past, present, and future – are varied depending on what rights have been “pooled” by the conference from its membership, the relevant audience for such content, and viable options for distributing the content.

Here, institutions have done everything from school-specific agreements to collectively offering the rights as a conference, to the oft-referenced evolutions of the conference and institutional networks. In the latest cycle of negotiations, we saw a variety of combinations and approaches, reflecting the ever growing sophistication of the media world, university and conference savvy. Ultimately, validation of the valuable following of college sports across the country.

4. What does the corporate world view as key benefits to associating with collegiate athletics programs?

The most obvious aspect is the outward, exciting quality of competition that draws interest from those who attended a school or who had/have a friend, the child of a friend, neighbor, relative, colleague attending a school, or who live in the general area of the institution.
Go deeper and there are stories behind nearly every student-athlete’s commitment to grow through the intercollegiate athletic experience in ways they might not otherwise have been able to experience if not for college sports.

Deeper still, the rich tradition of each institution and the underlying reality that the finest arts and sciences, the best and brightest research, new ideas and solutions emerge daily from our country’s colleges and universities.

Wrap these qualities together and the benefits of associating with intercollegiate athletics is beyond self-evident.

5. Live athletic events continue to be valuable properties, but how do you see the development of web-based viewing and apps supplementing or overtaking cable and satellite transmissions?

We will experience a phase for a period of time where this dynamic has to sort itself out, but history tells us it will – and fast.

Live athletic events are appointment viewing – some of the fewest remaining options in this regard given the iWorld of DVRs/TiVos, PDAs, virtual thingamajigs. The NCAA’s early efforts to put March Madness on Demand in market taught us that complementary experiences can happen as opposed to cannibalizing the same programming.

That holds true when there are multiple compelling competitions following a similar schedule (think Saturday conference football, etc.), but may not hold true when such options could take away a net number of eyes from broadcast programming.

Enter TV everywhere and an evolving economic model that when you buy the program at home, it is then available to you from any variety of agnostic platforms. Ultimately, the data-driven support of broadcast, the camera-view, and replay control (pending bandwidth challenges that will continue to be part of the puzzle for a while) equates to a valuable proposition to the average user.
College sports is an extraordinary option in this regard and will be in the future.

6. Describe the development of the NCAA’s temporary seating system that is now used at all Final Four sites?

For years, we studied the flow of fans in and around the buildings, as well as the preferences and priorities of NCAA membership at the Final Four. In sum and perhaps overly simplistic in description, using only half the stadium’s assets was challenging our ability to deliver a reliable experience to fans. Our layout from late 80s through 2008 was great, but generally eliminated half the seats, suites, restrooms, function areas, concession spaces and corridor “blow-off” space that would give the event more room to breathe. We were discussing this around 2000 when the Final Four was in Indianapolis – on both the host and NCAA side of the ledger.

In 2003, Mark Hollis at Michigan State masterminded “BasketBowl” in Ford Field for a game with Kentucky. Though the layout utilized most of the venue’s natural seating, it did validate a number of the benefits we believed could be realized with such a system.

From there, the study of various systems, potential construction options, and engineering discussions began in earnest.

In 2006, we began with mock-ups at Reliant Stadium in Houston. From there, various combinations of endzone configurations, seating elevation, and pitch options were studied. In 2008, we used the system for the first time at two of our regionals.

Feedback has been significantly positive and the NCAA continues to learn from every use.

7. Can you comment on the tension between maximizing revenue at an event like the Final Four vs. maintaining a sense of a collegiate event?

It is a delicate balance. For the basketball committee, the point of reference has always started at center court and worked in increasing 'orbits' from there. We concentrate on the best possible competition venue and experience for the student-athletes. We study carefully – having follow-up conversations with those who participated in the championship and adjust accordingly.

Especially with the new layout, the reality is the Final Four (and similar events) have upwards of 100,000 people connected to the event in town (either as area residents or visitors) and the importance of providing sanctioned activities – fan interactives, music festivals, educational activities, community outreach, etc. are vital showcases to tell more people who we are and what we do. Sensitivity regarding the “look and feel” of the event is crucial – as commercial integration must be executed thoughtfully. The entities which support the event and its operator (in the case of the Final Fours) the NCAA must have presence that reflects the continuous cooperative commitment to the relationship and mission shared among all parties.

8. How should a so-called nonrevenue sport on a campus attempt to maximize attention and value for its potential partners and fans?

First, pride in the competitive showcase is important. If those engaged in the sport directly don’t appear connected to and/or supportive of competition, it is hard to imagine how to attract potential partners and fans to engage as well.

Examining history of some of the most successful sports, it is the broad engagement and appearances of coaches and supporters -- dorm to dorm, fraternity and sorority house-to-house, connecting with prospective fans – over time had better results than anything.

Though hard to contain, it is important that impatience is kept to a minimum. Building a sport and the following of a team is most reliably a prolonged, steady journey. Commitment to growing over a number of seasons with sustained effort is key.

9. How do you stay so well-informed on athletics and business issues of the day?

Like the rest of the world, via the technological “shoe leather” probably serves best – the combination of in-person and phone conversations, key publications, social media and the like.

10. Knowing that you like to solve complicated problems facing intercollegiate athletics, especially related to basketball, what challenges do you plan to take on next?

Whatever challenge seems the most enjoyable, with people, structure and an organization to make the effort achievable. I suppose I’m more interested in the sincere impact of what’s next rather than the “wow” as a priority. I tend to think I’ll know it when it see it.

11. What are a couple of things that you helped to change for the better during your 12 years at the NCAA working in basketball and as Executive Vice President?

I always viewed myself as the professional greenskeeper on a good day. My job was to get the course ready to play each morning so the pros (my colleagues) could bring their “A” game and have the chance to excel everyday. From there, good things are bound to happen and some great people achieved remarkable breakthroughs in our work during the years I was fortunate enough to work at the NCAA. It was an honor to be on the team.

12. Describe an “I can’t believe this is happening” moment from your time running the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament that very few people would know about?

On the court, after the championship game, watching the winning team watch “One Shining Moment.” I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It is a feeling I will never forget.

13. Which NCAA DI Championship (other than basketball) has the most potential for growth amongst fans, television viewers, and spectators?

Take your pick – women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, lacrosse, soccer, FCS football, softball, baseball among others.

The NCAA is poised to evolve the championship model in a way that will bring more efficiency and attractiveness to host sites and ultimately, the experience of the student-athletes.

It is more a matter of how to package the championships going forward, which I think will be exciting to watch over the coming years.

14. You were integral in negotiating the 14-year, nearly $11 billion agreement with CBS and Turner Sports for the DI Men’s Basketball Tournament rights. Let’s pretend the leaders within DI FBS Football decided on a 16-team football playoff and you were tasked with negotiating the contract. What’s your guess as to the value of the media rights?

I’ve watched DLR Group's growth in vision over the past few years with your involvement, Drew. I think I’d encourage them to retain you to figure that one out! (Editor's Note: Greg did actually say this.)

DLR Group + PageSoutherlandPage Win Houston Cougars New Football Stadium

HOUSTON – June 12, 2012) – Game Day on the University of Houston campus will be better for fans and student-athletes in 2014. PageSoutherlandPage and DLR Group have been selected to design a new football stadium for the Houston Cougars football program to elevate the fan and student-athlete experience.

The new stadium design will have 40,000 seats, 22 luxury suites, 200 loge box seats, club seating for 650 fans, and enhanced press facilities for the 2014 season. Fan amenities will include signature shaded areas and breezeways, expanded concessions, and upgraded scoreboards and sound system. Succeeding phases will increase seating to 50,000, and ultimately 60,000. The total project budget is $105 million.

The new stadium will be constructed on the site of 71-year-old Robertson Stadium, which will be demolished after the 2012 season.

"This project isn't just about replacing a stadium with a more modern facility; it’s about creating a venue that showcases the football team’s on-field accomplishments while providing a spectacular view of the downtown skyline,” said PageSoutherlandPage Principal in Charge Jeffrey Bricker. “As Houstonians, we’ve seen the University of Houston become a bigger and bigger part what makes the city a great place to live, work and now, receive a Tier One education.”

“The vision is to create a new venue that is captivating on game days and also an iconic, vibrant building on the campus 365 days a year,” said DLR Group Principal Don Barnum. “The integrated PageSoutherlandPage | DLR Group design team looks forward to designing a stadium that will raise the profile of Houston football in the city, in Texas, and across the country.”

Larry Speck, Design Principal of PageSoutherlandPage, said, "This building will attract more visitors to the University of Houston campus--from loyal alumni and major donors to neighborhood kids with collegiate dreams--than any other. It will create a critical outreach to the community and a conspicuous window for Houstonians into their primary hometown academic institution."

Improving the student-athlete experience is a focus of the master plan for Houston Cougar football. The new football complex, which will be built by Manhattan Construction, will feature state-of-the-art locker facilities, including a locker room suite for Houston football and three visitor locker rooms; brand new playing surface; a 20,000 SF academic services building; a marching band rehearsal facility; dedicated tailgating areas; and a new Houston Athletics Hall of Fame.

April Q&A with Dr. Ed Ray - Oregon State University President and Chairman of the NCAA Executive Committee

 

1. Many of our readers may not be familiar with the NCAA Executive Committee. Help them understand the function, purpose and goals of the Executive Committee?

The scope of responsibility of the Executive Committee spans the activities of the NCAA. So, as chair of the Executive Committee I led the search committee - a sub-group of the Executive Committee - that led to the hiring of Mark Emmert as the president of the NCAA. The appointment of the new president had the concurrence of the full Executive Committee. I also provided input into the re-opening of discussions with CBS in early 2009 that resulted in the new 14 year contract for March Madness. A sub-set of the Executive Committee reviews salaries and performance for the president of the NCAA and top level members of his/her leadership team. The Executive Committee reviews and approves association-wide budgets and new legislation. The Executive Committee consists of the board chairs for the three divisions, the chair of the President’s Advisory Group, the chair of the Finance Committee, and several other members from the three divisions and is chaired by a president from one of the boards. All of the members of the Executive Committee are presidents or chancellors.

2. What are the top two or three priorities for the Executive Committee?

Except when a search or new contract negotiations are undertaken the primary areas of focus of the executive committee are on association budgets, review and salary recommendations for the president and top staff, and association-wide initiatives such as the current reform effort.

3. Many items were discussed involving reform at the two-day NCAA president’s retreat last year – stipend, simplifying rules, raising academic standards, etc. How do you carry out those reforms and ensure they happen?

President Emmert appointed separate work groups to assess the current state of the world and to make recommendations regarding academic performance standards, stipends and multi-year scholarships, permissible numbers of scholarships, travel abroad, simplifying the rules, enforcement issues, etc. Each of those groups develops proposals to be discussed among the membership and acted upon by the Division I board. We get updates and take votes when appropriate at each quarterly meeting of the Division I board.

4. What are the biggest hurdles?
The biggest challenge is finding the right balance between acting with all deliberate speed to implement change and assuring that changes are appropriately vetted among the membership, configured for effectiveness, and scheduled for orderly implementation. At the personal level, the biggest challenge is to attend to these important matters and still do my day job.

5. Change is clearly nothing new in college athletics, but I think it’s fair to say that the age of digital media has been as impactful on college sports as anything in history. As a result, do you feel like presidents/chancellors are as equipped or have the resources they need to manage athletic departments? If not, what changes can be made?

People, not technology, define behavior which is or is not appropriate. We need to stay focused on individual integrity, accountability, and acceptance of shared responsibility to make certain that the student–athlete intercollegiate athletic experience is as safe, rewarding and life enriching as possible. Occasionally, we learn that someone has found a new way to use new technologies to pursue inappropriate behavior but the problems always begin and end with individual behavior. That is where we have to always keep our attention. We need rules and enforcement but we also need to nurture a culture of honesty, integrity, accountability and shared responsibility for the competition and our student–athletes.

6. Almost all leaders in college sports state that academics are the top priority for institutions. What are some programs/initiatives that exist for student-athletes that support those efforts?

Most people do not realize that only about 5% of the entire budget for the NCAA goes toward administrative costs. This includes management of championships in some 88 sports, training programs for referees, internship programs for student-athletes, financial audits, investment portfolio management, and much more. The vast majority of the budget goes to specific student and program scholarship support and to the conferences for distribution to the membership. Approximately 70-75% of all of the revenue received by the NCAA goes back to the membership. Most of that is used for scholarships, academic support services and other efforts that yield higher graduation rates for student-athletes than for students in general.

7. I believe you would agree that there is nothing wrong with a student-athlete wanting to become a professional. How do you help student-athletes figure out if they are good enough? How do you help student-athletes that are good enough get to the next level?

There is no substitute for coaches who care deeply about the academic and life success of their student-athletes as well as their competitive success in athletics. Student-athletes in basketball and football in all three divisions have incredibly inflated opinions of their prospects of “going pro." The first place for them to get a reality check on the stiffness of the competition and their own prospects is with their coaches. Most coaches are wonderful teachers and mentors to our student-athletes and they have a tremendous impact on the student’s ability to make wise choices regarding competition and their academic goals. In the hands of the wrong individual, someone who is willing to promote his/her own career at the expense of what is best for the student-athlete, that influence can be terribly harmful. So, we have to hold coaches accountable for their actions and the actions of their assistant coaches with regard to the integrity of competition and the support of student-athletes making wise choices.

8. I understand the implications and challenges of making student-athletes paid employees of an institution, and I also know your background is in economics. So I must ask, why shouldn’t student-athletes be allowed to seek their fair market value (endorsements) outside of the school like we see with Olympians?

Any student-athlete can choose to “go pro” and get endorsements if that is what he/she wants. No one is forced to go to college if they have a different path to success. The amateur model in college sports is very important to maintaining any hope that the focus is first on academic success and then on athletic success, which is where it belongs for the vast majority of student-athlete participants. The availability of scholarships, academic counseling and tutoring for student-athletes provides them with a great opportunity for a successful 40 or 50 year career. Most professional sports careers last 5-10 years and few fortunes are made.

9. Would you say that DI football and men’s basketball student athletes are fairly compensated?

They have the option of going directly to the pros or going forward with their educational pursuits with absolute clarity regarding the trade-offs. So, how does one imagine they are being treated unfairly?

10. As I understand it, the underlying foundation of college athletics is similar to golf in that the intention is for institutions to call “penalties” on themselves. However, isn’t that the perfect system for someone to cheat? Does the system need to evolve or change?

The NCAA is an association of member schools and just as colleges have an honor system there is an expectation that members accept the responsibility to behave with integrity and to hold themselves accountable for a high standard of ethical behavior. But, there are means of identifying inappropriate behavior. Many minor, and much fewer major violations, are self-reported. Having said that, we are working to streamline the rules to eliminate nuisance rules and we are seeking to speed up and increase the severity of penalties associated with egregious and serious violations.

11. Couldn’t one make an ethical argument that a recruit could result in millions of dollars to an institution that will benefit many in the form of scholarships and funding for other sports, so giving that recruit improper benefits is worth it?

I would hope we all understand the concept of fairness, honesty, and integrity in competition. Those principles matter whether the contest is in the playground or the largest arena. Values and principles are not susceptible to redefinition by dollars involved. I have never been a supporter of situational ethics.

12. Back in August of 2010 you did a Q&A with The Oregonian. They asked you about the next big issues you wanted to tackle in college athletics and you mentioned three items: making financial data more transparent, raising the bar on academics, and increasing diversity in leadership positions. It’s only been a year and a half, but do you feel like you’ve been able to make headway on these issues?

By “you” I assume you are asking about the NCAA. I accomplish very little on my own. We have made good progress with the availability of the financial dashboard indicators for individual schools. I hope that one day we can provide all schools with access to all financial data for public and private universities. Remarkable progress is being made with respect to academic standards. There are now academic performance requirements to participate in all post-season competition including March Madness and the BCS Bowl games. Seven teams that were in the men’s basketball tournament last year would not have been eligible under the new rules. There are also tougher standards for transfers and freshman eligibility based on academic performance. We are making progress with regard to diversity in intercollegiate sports but we need to pick up the pace.

13. I’m not sure if you had the opportunity to read the article written by Taylor Branch for The Atlantic entitled The Shame of College Sports, but here’s and excerpt:

“Slavery analogies should be used carefully. College athletes are not slaves. Yet to survey the scene—corporations and universities enriching themselves on the backs of uncompensated young men, whose status as “student-athletes” deprives them of the right to due process guaranteed by the Constitution—is to catch an unmistakable whiff of the plantation. Perhaps a more apt metaphor is colonialism: college sports, as overseen by the NCAA, is a system imposed by well-meaning paternalists and rationalized with hoary sentiments about caring for the well-being of the colonized. But it is, nonetheless, unjust. The NCAA, in its zealous defense of bogus principles, sometimes destroys the dreams of innocent young athletes.”

This is obviously a serious accusation, and I’m curious what your response is to this sentiment or to the article in general?

This is great writing that is totally misinformed. No one is forced to go to college and get an education. A number of athletes “go pro” immediately after high school or after only one year of college in basketball. While there are ridiculous salaries for some coaches that grab the headlines in Division I, most coaches are not paid at that rate in Division I and certainly not in Division II or Division III, where the overwhelming majority of the 400,000 or so student-athletes compete. Furthermore, at schools like mine there are 500 student-athletes, half of whom are women, participating in 17 sports. They are having a wonderful learning experience and getting degrees at a higher rate than the general student population. They bond with each other and their schools on and off the competitive court or field and other students, alumni and fans have great shared experiences that bind them all together into wonderfully supportive communities. Inter-collegiate athletics is not just about money and not a money-making proposition at almost all Division I, II, and III schools. The NCAA uses the resources it receives from media contracts to support student-athletes in the classroom and through healthy and fair competition. The notion that the NCAA is some looming dark force is absurd.

14. What is your opinion about conference realignment and what have been the positive and negative impacts of the PAC 12 expanding?

A lot of conference re-alignment has been associated with positioning groups of schools to be eligible as BCS football automatic qualifiers and/or to garner better media contracts the next time around. The Pac-12 is quite satisfied with its current membership and is not looking at further expansion. All of our members are excellent academic institutions. We share all revenue equally and we enjoy working with each other. We have good media contracts and we are launching seven new Pac-12 networks this summer. The Pac-12 has won almost twice as many NCAA championships as any other conference. We also have a wonderful partnership with the Big 10 that we hope to expand upon. We are very proud of the student-athletes who represent our schools.

15. Is it possible we are in the “New Coke” era of college athletics? Meaning, there is such a big push to grow and expand that we have forgotten what got us here – strong regional rivalries.

I cannot speak for others but the Pac-12 is very aware of the importance of our traditional rivalries and you will find that reflected in our competitive schedules in all sports. We are not seeking expansion for its own sake and I know of several conversations among the Pac-12 CEOs in which our decisions felt right despite leaving money on the table. I have a great group of colleagues to work with and I think we have our collective values right.

Elevating Oregon State University's Women's Basketball Suite at Gill Coliseum

Gill Coliseum, home to the men’s and women’s Oregon State basketball teams, plays an integral part of the impressive heritage of Oregon State athletics. A new state-of-the-art sports medicine center and upgraded women’s locker room facilities enhance the university’s offerings to student-athletes, teams and coaches. Together they facilitate recruitment and retention of talented student-athletes, while increasing the revenue potential generated by successful athletics programs.

The women’s basketball suite was completed prior to the start of the 2009-10 season. It provides areas for continued educational success while acting as a retreat for the players to bond and prepare for games. DLR Group’s design honors the achievements of past athletes and inspires current student-athletes to be the best among the Pac-12 and the world. The facilities include a locker room and dressing area, coaching offices, tiered classroom, student-athlete lounge and game room and meeting and conference rooms.

The addition of a first class sports medicine center benefits all scholarship and non-scholarship student athletes. It provides leading edge injury prevention and rehabilitation services, elevating OSU as a leader among Pac-12 institutions. The complex houses treatment, therapy and taping areas, trainer offices and meeting rooms, an injury examination room, and built-in hydro-therapy pools.

March Q&A: Dan Beebe, former Big 12 Commissioner

DLR Group's Drew Berst sat down with Former Big 12 Commissioner, Dan Beebe to discuss the past, present and future of college sports.

1. Clearly my intent is not to dig into all the events that occurred during your final year+ as Commissioner, but you were heavily involved in conference realignment. What are your feelings overall on realignment, and what are your predictions for where it all leads?

My personal view is that institutions are better off being located in the regions where they get the majority of their students and where a majority of their alumni live and work. Disconnecting from that orientation is difficult and doesn’t provide for the type of geographic community and rivalries that are best for college sports. I think that regional 10 member conferences work well in that they give the opportunity for everyone to play each other every year in all sports, building familiarity, rivalries and long-time bonds. The pursuit of more market power and money has disrupted that type of a more intimate conference that existed for decades in most regions of the country, but perhaps there will be a retraction in 10 or 15 years.

2. Many pundits, analysts and others are pushing for reform in college athletics. Often people point to money as the underlying issue. Do you feel there is a need for reform? If so, define what you feel is the major underlying problem?

Reform has always been attempted and, in some cases, achieved, in the history of college sports. Money has been identified for nearly 100 years as a major problem. So, there is nothing new about the call for reform or the blame placed on the commercial aspect of college sports. I think it is necessary to continually explore reform and to strive to keep the quest for money in balance with the mission of higher education.
3. What is the solution or solutions?
I don’t think we will ever end up with THE solution, anymore than we will for other areas of importance in society at large. If we think we have found it, we will probably be in trouble. Constant attention to balancing the commercial aspect of intercollegiate athletics with the values of the educational experience is necessary to the evolution of college sports. I believe the commercial component has been overemphasized recently and that the pendulum will need to swing back the other way.

4. Should college athletes be paid?

No, but I do support the permissive legislation to allow up to $2000 to be added to the grant-in-aid.
5. Can you help an average college sports fan understand why the $2000 stipend hasn’t been approved?

In my opinion, it is because those who can’t afford it are concerned about the effect on their budgets and on recruiting.

6. I believe many people would agree that college basketball and college football, especially at the FBS or at least the BCS AQ level, are unique in their ability to generate revenue beyond all the other sports. Should these sports be handled, managed, or organized differently? If so, what would be the most effective method?

In many ways, they already are managed differently, with a lot more attention given to the operation and needs of those sports, since at the highest level they are paying for the experience of all the other student-athletes. As to whether they should be further organized differently, I must confess that I have ambivalence about that. The fact is that basketball and football student-athletes are under much more scrutiny and pressure than those in other sports, given the high visibility and public interest. This can argue for more consideration being provided to them. However, I suspect that would not be for football and men's basketball own long term good and could lead to an even heightened sense of celebrity - an experience that does not prepare them well for life after sports. It will take a lot of study and thought about the possible negative effects on the students in those sports before any more special treatment is afforded to them.

7. There have been a handful of high profile situations regarding student-athletes petitioning for an extra year of eligibility or to get a release from their scholarship for the purpose of transferring to another school. Publicly we usually only hear about the final decision made by the NCAA (more specifically, the committee) or institution and are left to make assumptions with little information. What insights can you provide that would help people understand how or why these decisions are made, and why aren’t we given more information?

Although I was not directly involved in these cases, I think that the privacy acts prevent institutions, conferences and the NCAA from divulging very much about the cases.

8. What’s next on the horizon for you?

I recently formed a partnership in misconduct risk management with Mike McCall and Mark Thompson. They have worked with more than 800 organizations for nearly 15 years in providing an independent, third party assessment of and training in employment practices in order to ensure and verify that organizations operate the best protection possible for students, employees and others associating with the organization. My partners have done this work for such organizations as school districts, fire districts, churches, and medical associations. We feel there is a strong need for such third party consultation in intercollegiate athletics to help protect those who may be vulnerable from misconduct of all kinds—sexual abuse, harassment, retaliation, etc. Our services will put the university in the best position possible to protect itself and provide the safest environment for all who associate with the athletics program, and it will provide the best atmosphere for detecting other types of misconduct; e.g., in areas of NCAA violations, ticket office operations, fundraising, etc.

9. What role should a conference office play in situations involving a high-profile scandal like Penn State or Miami?

Of course, I will say they need to encourage their institutions to engage our risk management firm for the services outlined above which would uncover such problmes at the outset and prevent them from exploding into some of the issues we have seen! Frankly, as to serious NCAA rules problems, I am of the opinion that the NCAA needs to handle the situation and not the conference office. The conference office primarily should be available for advice and consultation.

10. Many of our readers may not know that you spent the early part of your career in the NCAA Enforcement Department. Can you paint a picture of what it’s like to be an investigator?

I think that investigating NCAA violations is the most challenging enforcement work there is, at least as I understand how enforcement works in areas of the law. Without subpoena power to compel people to talk, and without other tools available to other agencies (such as wiretapping, paying informants, etc.), it is very difficult to prove that violations occurred. In addition, many of the actions that may be violations of NCAA rules can be viewed as altruistic when not considered in the context of recruiting; therefore, people aren’t as interested in cooperating. The job is fascinating, however, in trying to figure out the truth and in the challenge of getting people to assist.

11. Be honest, occasionally @danbeebe (Fake Dan Beebe) really does say exactly what you want to say, right? Also, please settle a bet, is it actually you?

He or she is very funny, when not too crude, but he or she doesn’t always say what I would say. I have had a few people ask if it is actually me…

 

University of Oregon - PK Park

The history of athletics at the University of Oregon spans more than a century. In 1877, Oregon competed in its first intercollegiate competition—a baseball game played on a dirt field against Monmouth College. Since then, the University’s state-of-the-art athletic facilities have set the pace for peers in collegiate sports to follow.

In 2010, the Ducks opened a new baseball stadium, dubbed PK Park in honor of former Athletic Director and program donor Pat Kilkenny. After a nearly 30 year absence from the diamond, Oregon reinstated its baseball program and it has come to life in PK Park. Oregon finished the season ranked 27th in the country and an impressive second in the Pac-10, averaging 2,361 fans per game in attendance. More than 68,489 fans cheered on the Ducks to 20 victories in 2010 in the all-new PK Park.

DLR Group’s design energizes more than the newly-resurrected baseball team; it elevates the experience for fans to celebrate Ducks’ success in multiple sports. The new ballpark sits adjacent to the famed Autzen Stadium (football), providing enhanced opportunities for fan activities. A festival area surrounding PK Park allows fans to be in the middle of all pre-game fun and festivities prior to a game at either stadium.

Rise Above

While optimal for the University, the ballpark’s location proved challenging during design. Designers wanted to give PK Park, a relatively small facility compared to the football stadium, its own presence on campus. DLR Group’s solution maximizes the vertical presence of the ballpark to coexist with Autzen Stadium. A steeper-than-normal seating bowl gives fans the feeling of being right on top of the action. A separate press/suite level located above the concourse enhances the ballpark’s stature. The elevated suites give fans a unique perspective of the playing field and surrounding landscape. DLR Group also introduced vertical banner elements along concourses to add to the energetic game-day atmosphere.

Wow, What A View

Fans won’t miss a minute of action at PK Park. A single, open concourse provides direct views to the playing field from anywhere in the ballpark. The ballpark features 3,000 fixed seats, eight upper level suites and a picnic plaza. A party plaza named Fowl Territory plays off the Ducks’ mascot and identifies the plaza’s location within the ballpark. Fowl Territory is at field level and allows fans to interact with players as they take the field. Total capacity is currently at 4,000, with future plans for 16 additional suites and an expanded seating bowl. A canopy, which complements the canopy at Autzen Stadium, covers a majority of fixed seating and protects fans from the seasonal Oregon rain. Glue-lam beams and wood planking indigenous to the area make the connection to the ballpark’s home in the Pacific Northwest. The University also opted for synthetic turf to keep the field playable during rain events.

Environmentally Friendly

PK Park’s sustainable features include designated bicycle parking, Energy Star-compliant roofing, high efficiency irrigation technology and low-emitting materials. The ballpark is designed to meet State of Oregon Energy-Efficient Design guidelines (SEED) and the University of Oregon Sustainable Development plan. Construction crews also utilized local and recycled materials while recycling construction waste.

Phased Approach

The University developed a Master Plan to complete the ballpark in phases and also plan for future growth. Construction spanned two phases, allowing the Ducks to take the field in 2009. Phase one consisted of a new field completed in time for opening day, Feb. 27, 2009. Temporary concessions and seating allowed fans to cheer on the Ducks, and temporary locker room met athlete and team needs. The surrounding stadium was constructed in phase two, including permanent seating and suites, locker rooms, a clubhouse, team amenities, and a press box. To expedite construction and eliminate the need for costly supporting structure, the seating bowl and main concourse were poured directly onto earth fill. Interior building elements, such as locker rooms (event level) and restrooms (main level), were stacked as much as possible to centralize utilities, and major circulation was centralized to efficiently access all three levels of the facility. The new PK Park embodies the excitement and ambition of the Oregon Ducks’ baseball program and continues the tradition of the University’s top-rated athletic facilities.

February Q&A: Bill Hancock, BCS Executive Director

DLR Group's Drew Berst sat down with BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock to discuss the past, present and future of college football.

1. In your opinion, what’s most misunderstood about the BCS?
When the BCS and its predecessors began 20 years ago, they were greeted with high praise from fans and media. That’s because finally there would be an opportunity for the top two teams to meet in a bowl game. Now, of course, many fans want more. I suppose that’s human nature. But if “more” diminishes the great college football regular season, or detracts from the bowl tradition and experience for the students, I won’t be comfortable.


2. The Pac-12 and Big Ten just announced a scheduling partnership. Should the public view this as the first step towards a broad super conference that could potentially broaden the reach/scope of the BCS – or, to put it another way is this the first step toward a professional-like model where there are 65 teams in divisions under one entity instead of individual conferences?
Not at all. There is a common misconception that fewer, larger conferences will result in some sort of NFL-style post-season tournament. That’s just incorrect, because the same college presidents who do not support a tournament now will continue not to support it, no matter how many teams are in their conferences.


3. There is discussion that the BCS will only handle the #1 vs. #2 matchup (Championship Game) in the future and automatic qualifying will be eliminated. Help me understand the advantages if that happens.
First of all, the commissioners are in the midst of a quadrennial review of the BCS format. It happens every four years because the BCS contracts have been in four-year terms; the current one will expire after two more seasons. You have read in the papers that there is sentiment for change, and I would not disagree—but the extent of any change is yet to be determined. With all the variations, I suspect 50 or 60 options will be on the table. There is no leader in the clubhouse. Having said all that, some of the conferences that have not earned annual automatic qualification for their champions have proposed that the automatic berths be discontinued. And some folks believe that could be accomplished returning to a system where each bowl negotiates agreements individually with conferences. We shall see.


4. What would you like to see the BCS do differently in the future?
We have learned that mid-week games after January 1 may not be in the best interests of fans. You know, school has started back home, people have gone back to work—the holidays are over. I hope we can explore new dates for the games in the future.


5. Why are certain votes/ballots kept private and what does the BCS do to avoid conflicts of interest in voting?
The final votes of all 174 people who rank teams in the Harris poll and the coaches poll are made public. With such a large sample size, we believe any conflicts are mitigated.


6. There’s been a considerable amount of public outcry about the state of college athletics in the wake of a few major scandals in 2011. How do you feel about the state of college athletics at the moment?
Hey, 99.9999 percent of the people in college athletics are doing it right. Yes, I worry about that .0001 percent; I want this enterprise to be perfect. But it is unfair to taint many good people because of the actions of a very few. I realize good news does not sell newspapers or draw people to talk shows or chat rooms. But, goodness gracious, college athletics is strong and healthy. We need to celebrate that.


7. What are the biggest challenges for the BCS going forward?
You know, the BCS event has brought many good things to college football. It has made the game more of a national sport than ever before. It has provided that #1 vs. #2 matchup that fans wanted. I think our group’s biggest challenge going forward is to continue to help the game grow.


8. What are the biggest opportunities for the BCS going forward?
Between now and next fall, the commissioners have the opportunity to make decisions that will benefit college football for many years to come. I’m excited about that opportunity.


9. I did read that Mark Shurtleff, the Utah Attorney General, plans to file an anti-trust lawsuit against the BCS in the next 30 days or so. Can you provide any insight into what the potential implications of that legal action might be?
Consumers are better off because of the BCS—there’s more football to be watched, and there’s also a meeting of the top two teams in a bowl game, which seldom happened before. I don’t know about you, but I feel strongly that the government has more important things on its plate than managing how college football is played.


10. What do you like most about your job?
I love the logistics of managing the bowl games, and then watching the student-athletes and fans enjoy themselves. We are creating memories that will last a lifetime! Before every game, I walk the concourse, talking to fans and just soaking in the moment. I’m a lucky man.


11. What’s the most difficult aspect of your job?
There’s no such thing as a perfect job. And there’s no such thing as a bad job in these times. I suppose my biggest challenge is dealing with folks who do not want to listen.


12. What’s something most people don’t know about you?
People don't know that I dreamed of majoring in piano when I went to college. I hoped to be the next Van Cliburn. But at college, I quickly discovered that I didn’t have enough talent, sort of like a football player who excelled in Class A high school ball, but found that he couldn’t compete at the NCAA level. Anyway, music is still a big part of my life; I’m the worst member of our church choir! I love classical music, particularly all the masters—Chopin, Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. I sense that my three grandchildren also love music; that’s a great feeling.

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