The NCAA News - News and Features
The NCAA News -- February 15, 1999
I-AA football committee notes success of '98 championship
A meeting with representatives of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sports and Events Committee was a major item of business during a recent meeting of the Division I-AA Football Committee.
The committee, which met January 27-29 in Hilton Head, South Carolina, noted its pleasure with the conduct of the 1998 championship game in Chattanooga and indicated its interest in continuing the relationship with the city's local organizing committee.
The Chattanooga representatives reported that total ticket sales in 1998 rose more than 12 percent over the 1997 figures, due in part to an increase of nearly 58 percent in public "walk-up" sales. The representatives also expressed a desire to continue hosting the championship game.
A subcommittee of John Johnson of Weber State University; Robert Marcum of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst; and William Rowe of Southwest Missouri State University was appointed to represent the committee in its negotiation of a new agreement with the Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee.
In a related matter, the committee reviewed a directive from the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet to conduct a review of the Division I-AA Football Championship in time for the cabinet's July meeting. Among the issues to be covered in the review are changes in the bidding process, the loss of teams
to Division I-A and the size of the bracket.
Later in the meeting, the committee further discussed the status of Division I-AA football, including the possibility of revising the playoff format and whether member institutions could continue to compete at that level. In an effort to study matters that impact Division I-AA, the committee suggested that a separate session be conducted during an upcoming meeting of the Division I Football Issues Committee.
Other highlights
Division I-AA Football Committee
January 27-29/Hilton Head, South Carolina
Reviewed a proposed revision to NCAA Bylaw 18.4.2.2 that would require institutions that are reclassifying to Division I-AA to conduct two seasons of competition during their two-year compliance periods.
Recommended to grant automatic qualification for the 1999 championship to the Patriot League and the Atlantic 10, Big Sky, Gateway, Mid-Eastern Athletic, Ohio Valley, Southern and Southland Conferences.
Noted that the committee's seeding process for the 1998 championship was successful in that the first-, second- and fourth-seeded teams competed in the semifinals. The committee also noted that host institutions won 11 of the 14 games played on campus.
Determined that the championship-game press conference would be held on Friday instead of Thursday.
Suggested that the NCAA review its travel policy to determine if unused seats on charter flights could be sold at a price equal to the lowest discount price provided by other airlines.
Determined that conference supervisors should be reminded to assign their top officials by position and not their top crews. It also was suggested that conference crews should not be assigned to the same playoff site more than once during the championships.
Expressed concern that ESPN was unable to televise the beginning of the championship game because a basketball game it was televising prior to it went into overtime. The committee directed NCAA staff to contact the network regarding its scheduling plans for the 1999 championship game and request that more lead time be provided to avoid a repeat of the conflict.
Voted to extend an invite an ESPN representative to the next meeting. If an in-person meeting cannot be arranged, it was suggested that a conference call be conducted to address preparations for the 1999 championship.
Reviewed the committee's consideration of teams with four losses for the championship. It was the consensus of the committee that teams with four losses will still be considered, but a thorough review of their strength of schedules must be conducted.
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