National Collegiate Athletic Association |
The NCAA News - News FeaturesDecember 23, 1996Agenda offers contest-exemption proposalsThis is the sixth in a series of seven articles on legislation that has been submitted for the 91st annual NCAA Convention January 11-15, 1997, in Nashville, Tennessee. The article reviews proposals in the playing-and-practice-seasons and personnel groupings. Proposals to exempt various types of competitions from playing-season limits continue to be a significant feature of the NCAA Convention agenda. The 1997 Convention's playing-and-practice-seasons grouping includes four proposals seeking exemptions for a variety of competition in several sports. A proposal sponsored primarily by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) seeks to give Division I institutions an exemption similar to one that was approved in Divisions II and III last year -- for a season-ending tournament in the team sports of baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer and softball that does not require certification by the NCAA Special Events Committee. A proposal seeking the exemption was withdrawn last year in Division I, which instead adopted 1996 Convention Proposal No. 69. Among other things, that wide-ranging proposal specified exemptions sport-by-sport in Division I. Proposal No. 69 also made the NCAA Special Events Committee responsible for overseeing the exemption of events based on criteria specified in the legislation, and that committee opposes this year's ECAC proposal. The committee believes the proposal conflicts with the purpose of Proposal No. 69. The ECAC, however, says the legislation merely makes the exception for a season-ending tournament consistent across divisions for NCAA team sports, thus simplifying the Association's rules. The proposal also gives all three divisions an opportunity to include ice hockey in the exemption of season-ending tournaments. The proposal approved last year by Divisions II and III inadvertently omitted that sport, and the NCAA Council is joining in sponsorship of that section of this year's proposal for the purpose of correcting the error. Other contest-exemption proposals in the playing-and-practice-seasons grouping would:
Spring football On another topic, Division I institutions sponsoring football may -- or may not -- be asked to decide whether to reduce the number of contact sessions in spring football practice from 10 to five. The Council initially agreed to sponsor a proposal developed by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports that is designed to reduce what that committee believes is an excessive injury rate in spring practice. But football coaches objected to the scope of the proposal, and succeeded in convincing the Council that the issue should be studied further. The Council decided to withdraw the proposal in Divisions I-A and I-AA (it still is asking Division II to adopt the reduction). Any Division I-A or I-AA member, however, can request that the proposal be brought forth for a vote, and the competitive-safeguards committee has indicated that it will seek consideration of the measure in Nashville. The issue may be discussed further during the Council's Convention meetings. The NCAA Administrative Committee recently approved a request from the chair of the competitive-safeguards committee for an in-person meeting with the Council. Resolution Baseball coaches' desire to address what they believe is a competitive disadvantage for teams in the northern half of the United States is behind a proposed resolution that would direct the Association to create an ad hoc committee to study moving NCAA championships in baseball and softball to late June. The Big Ten Conference is sponsoring the resolution that calls for the ad hoc committee to study and propose legislation that also would move the start of the Division I baseball and softball seasons to late- instead of mid-winter -- taking competitive, academic and financial concerns into consideration. The American Baseball Coaches Association says that a March 1995 survey of its membership found that 65 percent of coaches favor moving the playing season to later in the year. Other issues The playing-and-practice-seasons grouping also includes proposals addressing the first permissible contest and first permissible practice in Division I men's and women's basketball, as well as proposals involving preseason practice in Divisions I and II golf, permissible dates of competition in Division I women's lacrosse and Division III wrestling, and student-athletes' participation in an outside team in water polo. The Division I basketball proposals seek to relieve "compression" of the end of the regular season by permitting teams to begin play a week earlier at the beginning of the season (136 days before the Division I basketball championships game, instead of 129 days), and to permit those teams to begin preseason practice on the Saturday nearest to October 15 instead of on that date. The latter proposal is designed to aid the marketing and promotion of "Midnight Madness" events while permitting such activities to be scheduled at a time when they conflict least with academics. Personnel Proposals in the personnel grouping include one dealing with an issue of considerable concern within the Association -- gambling. The Council-sponsored proposal would prohibit athletics administrators -- including coaching staff members -- from gambling on professional sports. The NCAA Professional Sports Liaison Committee recommended the proposal, noting that student-athletes already are prohibited from gambling on professional sports and that administrators also should be subject to the rule. Other proposals in the grouping would:
Another proposal in the grouping would require a Division I institution to be an actual party to a contract with a vendor that provides equipment and apparel for a team. The proposal would require that such a contract be either between the institution and the vendor, or include the institution as a party to an agreement between an athletics department staff member and the vendor. The Council initially agreed to serve as a cosponsor of the proposal with the Big Ten Conference, but the Council since has decided to withdraw its sponsorship because of concerns about legal issues. Summary Following is a summary of each of the proposals in the playing-and-practice-seasons and personnel groupings, including sponsors, committee positions (if any) and the business session in which a proposal will be considered. Playing and practice seasons No. 117: In Divisions I and II, permit an institution that conducts its traditional segment in the sport of golf during the fall to commence practice sessions on August 24 or the institution's first day of classes for the fall term, whichever occurs first; further, to permit such an institution to engage in its first date of competition in the sport of golf on September 1 or the preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday. Sponsored by the Big Sky Conference. Council Subcommittee on Playing and Practice Seasons position: None. Divisions I and II business sessions. No. 118: Permit Division I institutions to begin on-court preseason basketball practice sessions on the Saturday nearest to October 15. Sponsored by the Pacific-10 Conference. Council Subcommittee on Playing and Practice Seasons position: None. Division I business session. No. 119: In Division I men's basketball, permit the first permissible contest to be played one week earlier than currently scheduled (i.e., 136 days prior to the Division I men's basketball championship game). Sponsored by the Council and Colonial Athletic Association. Division I business session. No. 120: In Division I women's basketball, permit the first permissible contest to be played one week earlier than currently scheduled (i.e., 136 days prior to the Division I men's basketball championship game). Sponsored by the Council, the Atlantic Coast Conference and one other Division I member. Division I business session. No. 121: Permit the Top of the World Classic men's basketball tournament sponsored by an active member institution located in Alaska to be played after November 8. Sponsored by the Missouri Valley Conference. Council Subcommittee on Playing and Practice Seasons position: Support. Division I business session. No. 122: In the sports of baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer and softball, permit Division I institutions to exempt annually one season-ending tournament (that does not require certification) from the maximum number of contests/dates of competition; further, in the sport of ice hockey, permit institutions in all divisions to exempt annually one season-ending tournament (that does not require certification) from the maximum number of contests. Sponsored by the Council (Section C only) and the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Council Subcommittee on Playing and Practice Seasons position: None. Special Events Committee position: Oppose. Division I business session. No. 123: Permit Division II institutions to exempt annually not more than two informal practice scrimmages from the maximum number of permissible contests as specified. Sponsored by the Northeast-10 Conference. Division II business session. No. 124: Permit the champions of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to participate in the Pioneer Bowl and to exempt such participation from the limitations governing the end of the playing season and the permissible number of contests; further, to mandate that the Pioneer Bowl shall be conducted not earlier than one week after the conclusion of the NCAA Division II Football Championship. Sponsored by the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Council Subcommittee on Playing and Practice Seasons position: None. Division II business session. No. 125: In Divisions I and II football, specify that no contact shall occur during the first two spring football practice sessions; reduce the number of practice sessions that may involve contact from 10 to five; and preclude the use of shoulder pads during all noncontact practice sessions. Sponsored by the Council; recommended by the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. Divisions I-A, I-AA and II business sessions. No. 126: In Division I, permit member institutions in the sport of women's lacrosse to engage in 17 dates of competition during the traditional segment and five dates of competition during the nontraditional segment. Sponsored by the Colonial Athletic Association. Council Subcommittee on Playing and Practice Seasons position: None. Division I business session. No. 127: In Division III wrestling, specify that not more than two two-day meets shall count as a single date of competition. Sponsored by the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Division III business session. No. 128: Permit student-athletes in the sport of water polo to be involved on an outside water polo team that includes the student-athletes' coaches during the summer months. Sponsored by 10 member institutions. Council Subcommittee on Playing and Practice Season position: None. Divisions I, II and III business sessions. No. 129: A resolution directing the creation of an NCAA special committee representative of academic, competitive and financial concerns to explore the possibility of redefining the competitive seasons for baseball and softball by moving the NCAA championships in these sports to late June; further, directing the special committee to prepare proposed legislation within one year of adoption of the resolution for consideration by the Division I governance bodies to move the baseball and softball traditional seasons. Sponsored by the Big Ten Conference. Division I business session. Personnel No. 130: Prohibit athletics administrators (including coaching staff members) from participating in any gambling activities associated with professional sports contests. Sponsored by the Council; recommended by the Professional Sports Liaison Committee. General business session; all divisions voting. No. 131: Require contracts for athletics equipment and apparel to be between the institution and vendor, or a tripartite arrangement between the institution, athletics department staff member and vendor. Sponsored by the Council and Big Ten Conference. Council Subcommittee on Personnel Limitations position: None. Division I business session. No. 132: Preclude the use of quotations from or pictures of an institution's coaching staff member in noninstitutional camp or clinic brochures, unless the coaching staff member is employed by the camp or clinic. Sponsored by the Council; recommended by the Recruiting Committee. Division I business session. No. 133: Prohibit off-campus, in-person scouting of opponents in the sport of Division I women's volleyball. Sponsored by the Council and Big West Conference. Division I business session. No. 134: Establish uniform penalties in all sports for game personnel (e.g., coaches, trainers, managers and game officials) who use tobacco products during practice or competition. Sponsored by the Council; recommended by the Committee of Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. General business session; all divisions voting. Next in the series: Proposals in the general and deregulation groupings.
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