The final version of the shot-clock proposal, which had undergone some changes since being originally introduced after the committee's annual July meeting, had been approved by the Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet and the Division II Championships Committee, but denied by the Division III Championships Committee and Management Council.

In order for playing rules to be different among divisions, the Executive Committee must give approval. The earliest time during which the Executive Committee could consider the issue is April, which would eliminate the lead-time the lacrosse committee had built in for budget adjustment.

"The committee was not prepared to have the game played by different rules in different divisions," said Bryan Matthews, committee chair and director of athletics at Washington College (Maryland). "Given the late date that this would be decided upon, schools would not have the time to budget for the equipment that would be required."

The withdrawn proposal would have required every game in every division to display a shot clock. The estimated cost, if the institution did not already possess such a device, was anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000.