NCAA mulls permanent 12th game

[UK Peregrine]

Well, the permanent 12th game hasn't died yet. The "big boys" of CFB are still trying to get this thing through. A permanent 12th game would likely be harmful to the MAC, in respect to us not likely to see a year like this again with three at-large MAC teams making bowls. A 12th game would ensure that more so-called major conference teams could acheive their six wins required to make a bowl (a.k.a. Northwestern last season).

By Steve Wieberg, USA TODAY
GRAPEVINE, Texas — Major football-playing schools are closer to getting a 12th regular-season game every season, a potential $1 million or better windfall for many top programs.

The NCAA's Division I Management Council kept the proposal alive Sunday, forwarding it for a final review by the council and the association's top rules-making body, the Division I Board of Directors, in April. If passed by both, the measure would take effect for the 2006 season.

Divisions I-A, where support is stronger, and second-tier I-AA are weighing the revision separately.

"My sense of it is that there's not unanimity on the issue among the I-A conferences, let alone the I-AA conferences," said David Berst, the NCAA's vice president for Division I, "and the 60 days (in which it will be reviewed by member schools) will be important."

Schools already are allowed a 12th regular-season game when the calendar yields 14 Saturdays from late August to the end of November. That was the case in 2002 and 2003 but won't be again until 2008 and, after that, 2013.

Adding a home game to a schedule means an average of $1.5 million to schools in the Big 12 Conference, which is co-sponsoring the measure. At Texas, the net is close to $3.5 million in ticket and TV revenues.

Meanwhile, basketball coaches apparently have more work to sell a package of far-reaching proposals they drew up, many loosening restrictions on coaches' contact with recruits and offseason access to players already in their programs.

Meeting in conjunction with the annual NCAA convention, the Management Council preserved most of the measures but made it clear the panel's support in April isn't guaranteed.

Council members still must be convinced that coaches won't stretch the new freedoms, Berst said. "There's a trust gap," he said.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ ... otes_x.htm