Apr 22, 2010 3:21:30 PM

Ed Ray, NCAA Executive Committee Chair and Oregon State University President:
"I'm very appreciative and proud of work Jim, Greg and their staffs have done to get us to this juncture. They've talked to all the [constituent groups] in intercollegiate athletics, kept them informed and stayed focused. They have done their very best, and their very best, it turns out, is excellent. This contract negotiation has often been misunderstood. It has never been about money for money's sake. Ninety-six percent of the revenue will flow back through member schools to help student-athletes be successful. The agreement represents an extraordinary increase and should serve our athletics and academic needs."

Mike Slive, Southeast Conference Commissioner:
"This is a win-win result for everyone. The agreement exceeds what everyone thought it would be. It clearly represents a very substantial increase and at the same time preserves the tournament as we have come to enjoy it. And it provides long-term stability and flexibility. This is a credit to Jim Isch, Greg Shaheen and David Berst for a job well-done under difficult circumstances."

Ann Millner, NCAA Presidents Advisory Committee Chair and Weber State University President:
"This is an agreement that will allow for expansion but also allows the Association to have maximum flexibility over that decision. It stabilizes the most significant revenue source for the NCAA over the next 14 years. That's an extremely important factor as we move forward, because it allows us to plan for the future."

Kevin White, Duke University Director of Athletics:
"This negotiation represents a giant success, and unequivocally ensures long-term financial stability for the membership. Again, considering our current financial environment, this deal provides an absolutely huge financial commitment to support 88 championships, and well over 400,000 student-athletes, across the entire country. Indeed, this is a great day for college athletics; and also a wonderful moment for more than 1,000 NCAA member institutions."

Graham Spanier, Pennsylvania State University President:
"For me, the continued stability of financing is very important. Given the current economic conditions for higher education, this will be very attractive to university presidents. We place a lot of value on that because it allows us to provide great benefits to student-athletes. I want to commend the NCAA leadership for how they conducted the process and for the success of the outcome."

Ben Howland, UCLA Men's Basketball Coach:
"It gives three more teams an opportunity. You go back and look at the last few years, definitely every year there are two or three teams that have legitimate gripes as to why they did not get in. So I don't think this changes it too much. I think it actually probably seeds it a little better -- you get the play-in games now."

Jim Boeheim, Syracuse Men's Basketball Coach:
"As a coach I'd like to see more people get in but 68 is a good step and the easiest way, to have the least amount of turmoil. There's really no way to do a little bit bigger expansion. You can't expand by eight, 10. There's no way to figure that out. This is the easiest way and hopefully down the road there will be a bigger expansion."

Carolyn Schlie Femovich, Patriot League Executive Director:
"The new media agreement is a significant achievement for all of college athletics. The continued partnership with CBS and new relationship with Turner will provide long-term financial stability for the NCAA membership and the thousands of student-athletes whose educational and collegiate experience will be greatly enhanced. Congratulations to all those who played a role in the discussions and negotiations."

John Swofford, ACC Commissioner:
"CBS Sports does an excellent job in its coverage of the NCAA Tournament and today's announcement that they will partner with Turner Broadcasting for the long-term future is a terrific one. Turner is a welcome addition to the collegiate landscape. I'm very supportive of the Committee's recommendation to expand the field to 68 teams, allowing this special event to be maintained in a similar and popular structure. It also protects the regular-season and conference tournaments which are particularly important to the ACC, as well as other conferences and their individual institutions."

Jim Delany, Big Ten Commissioner:
"I don't call it a windfall. I call it a secure, conservative play that guarantees a good, solid stream of revenue in a tough time. Whether or not the marketplace will be better a year or two from now is hard to say. But I would say … it's a good reflection that the property is still healthy even in a marketplace that's not considered by most people to be incredibly vibrant."

Jim Haney, executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches:
"First, this is a great day for men's college basketball. In the economic times we are now experiencing and working our way through, for the NCAA to be able to attract a contract worth $776 million per year is a remarkable accomplishment. This speaks well for the coaches, student-athletes and all of those involved in a magical three weeks of men's basketball games.

"From a personal standpoint, as executive director of the NABC, I was hopeful of expansion to 96 teams, which would have an impact on job security for many coaches making the tournament field. Right now, there will be three more teams given the opportunity to participate."

"Overall, this is a great day for intercollegiate athletics, securing the future of the NCAA, its member institutions, and championships in all sports for men and women."

William E. Kirwan, co-chairman, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics; Chancellor, University System of Maryland: 
"Today's announcement of the new NCAA media rights deal presents an opportunity for universities to use the money guaranteed through this contract for the good of college sports and the educational missions of our universities. In the past, more revenue gained from more games and more television has not always resulted in outcomes that have furthered our educational missions. Now is the time to better manage commercial success and ensure that sports programs and their growth are aligned with the primary missions of our universities. The Knight Commission will release a major report in June 2010 to address this goal."