National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

March 10, 1997

Association, APSE reach compromise

Final Four credentials were at stake because of gambling 'tip sheets'

The NCAA and the Associated Press Sports Editors have reached an agreement that is designed to focus more attention on the problem of sports gambling.

Under the agreement, the Association will provide credentials to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship for all qualified media agencies. In return, the APSE will send a letter to the publishers of APSE member newspapers, joining the NCAA in acknowledging the problem of gambling on college sports.

The NCAA earlier had notified several newspapers that they would not receive credentials to the Division I Men's Basketball Championship because they carry advertising for gambling "tout sheets." The restriction is a long-standing part of the NCAA's media policy.

The 1997 Division I Men's Basketball Championship Handbook states that NCAA policy "prohibits the issuance of media credentials to representatives of any organization that regularly publishes or otherwise promotes the advertising of 'tout sheets' or 'tip sheets,' or other advertising designed to encourage gambling on college sports events."

The sports editors objected when the NCAA notified the newspapers that it would enforce the policy for this year's event. Among the objections was that the Association would be infringing on their First Amendment rights by enforcing the policy.

David E. Cawood, NCAA assistant executive director, said that although the Association continues to believe that it has the right to set its own standards for credentialing, the compromise that was agreed upon is in the best interests of all concerned.

"We are working together to make sure that publishers understand what these tip sheets are all about," Cawood said. "This serves as a reminder that gambling is a problem in college sports and that it has an adverse effect. We're excited about working with APSE and finding a solution to this problem."

NCAA representatives met in January with an ad hoc committee of APSE to address the problem. APSE recently approved the agreement at its winter meeting.

The letter to the APSE publishers notes that the NCAA is justified in its concerns about gambling.

"APSE recognizes the seriousness of this important issue," the letter says, "and trusts that its member papers do as well. In addition, there are many stories that can be written on this issue, and the NCAA is ready to assist APSE member newspapers in the research of such articles."

Paul Bowker, deputy sports editor of the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette and APSE president, said the matter calls for both sides to examine their policies.

"We recognize the seriousness of the issue and urged that they (the NCAA) look at their policy on ads," he said. "As long as the letter did not ask the papers to pull ads, we were comfortable with that. We couldn't ask for them to do that."

A spokesman for USA Today, which carries advertising for tout sheets, said his newspaper shares the NCAA's concern about the dangers of sports gambling.

"We, too, have always felt that gambling on college campuses was a serious matter and we've written about it regularly and in fact have cosponsored seminars on college gambling with the NCAA at each of the last two Final Fours," said deputy managing sports editor Jim Welch.