by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman
At the Final Four basketball contest, March Madness, the NCAA, National Collegiate Athletic Association, touted its role in college sports. Giant letters informed viewers, “1 Association, 29 sports, 88 championships, 400,000 student athletes.”
The organization selected Detroit as host for this year’s final games even before the current economic recession. With the auto industry collapse, it was a move that brought a welcome flow of money to the city.
Although few complaints were heard, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, the NCAA is considered by many in college sports, too controlling and stingy.
Its 11 year contract with CBS to televise the tournament has critics believing that the Association is making money off athletes; yet those same voices suggest that the NCAA should regulate coaches’ multi-million dollar contracts.
Despite controversy, the NCAA defends what others call exploiting commercial opportunities. It points to its distribution of more than 90% of its $500 billion take from the CBS deal to help pay for scholarships and operating costs of college sports, not just the marquee programs.
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