Is Amateurism Dead in Big Time College Sports? Find Out at Monday NPC Lunch
Big 12 sports conference Commissioner Bob Bowlsby will discuss at a National Press Club Luncheon whether amateurism is dying in college athletics and whether it can -- or should -- be saved on Monday, Sept. 21. An unprecedented mix of television revenue and court decisions mandating some of that money be passed on to players threatens the traditional amateur model of American college sports where a player is only “paid” in tuition, room and board scholarship money.
Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m., with remarks beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a Q&A session ending at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $23 for Press Club members (NPC members may purchase two tickets at this rate) and $37 for all other non-member tickets. Tickets may be purchased online by going to this link. For questions, please email [email protected] or call 202-662-7501. Tickets must be paid for at the time of purchase.
The big time football schools are consolidating power and money. Rising television revenues from big-time football and the wide disparity in the operating budgets of large football-playing schools and small non-football private schools fuels reconsolidation of power between haves and have-nots.
While at the same time courts are ruling against the NCAA in cases where former players complained that they weren't receiving an appropriately large piece of the pie. A court ruled that a team from a “power” conference could unionize. According to notes provided from his speech, Bowlsby will discuss whether the NCAA can continue to manage itself in this swirl of money and greed.
The future of Bowlsby's Big 12 is also at stake. After a round of conference realignment in football, which drive TV revenue, the Big 12 was left out of the first four-team college playoff. Bowlsby caught criticism for not declaring a conference champion out of two teams tied for first. He created a new tiebreaker and decided against creating conference championship, which some believe is necessary for maximum chance to make the playoff.
NPC members who wish to attend the pre-luncheon reception must RSVP separately to [email protected] 48 hours before the event. Space may be limited. You must have a paid reservation to the luncheon to attend the VIP reception.
To submit a question in advance, put BIG12 in the subject line and email to [email protected] before 10 a.m. on the day of the luncheon.
Upcoming Luncheons:
Sept. 30 – Arne Duncan; Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
Oct. 1 – Raimonds Vējonis, President of Latvia
Oct. 2 – Gary R. Herbert; Governor of Utah
Oct. 7 – Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor of Baltimore
Dec. 2 – Deborah Lee James, Air Force Secretary