COLLEGE BASKETBALL
OVERVIEW COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
LOCAL SPORT TIMES, 1890-1920
 INDOOR ARENA ERA, 1920s
 RELIEF GAMES
 NIT AND MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
 THE GARDEN COLLAPSE, 1950-60
 BASKETBALL IN THE 60s
 NCAA AND TELEVISION
 “SCANDAL SCHOOLS” TIMES 1980-2000
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LOCAL GYM SPORT ERA, 18901920
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BASKETBALL HAS ITS ORIGINS IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION
CLASES AND AS A SCHOOL GYM EXERCISE
AS BASKETBALL COURTS WERE INCLUDED IN
PLAYGROUNDS AND PUBLIC PARKS BASKETBALL BECAME
AN URBAN RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE SCHOOLS AND
COLLEGES, ACCESSIBLE TO LARGER GROUPS.
FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF YMCA AND COLLEGES,
CHURCHES AND FACTORIES ALSO BUILT GYMS WITH
BASKETBALL COURTS IN THIS TIME PERIOD.
IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY BASKETBALL PROSPERED IN
COLLEGE, INDUSTRIAL AND CITY AND REGIONAL LEAGUES
URBAN LEAGUES SOON BECAME A POPULAR FORM OF
COMPETITION AND ENTERTAINMENT
IMMIGRANT GROUPS IN URBAN AREAS WERE THE MOST
DOMINANT ATHLETES IN THE SPORT
BASKETBALL AND INDOOR
ARENAS, 1920s
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IN THE 1920s BASKETBALL EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT
TRANSITION AND BECAME A SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT
FOR URBAN AREAS IN THE U.S.
BOXING PROMOTERS, ARENA OWNERS DECIDED TO MAKE
THE SPORT A SIDE SHOW FOR TIMES WHEN THE INDOOR
FACILITY WAS NOT OCCUPIED WITH BOXING OR WRESTLING
MATCHES.
BOXING PROMOTERS AND ARENA ENTREPRENEURS PLAYED
A MAJOR ROLE IN TRANSFORMING BASKETBALL INTO A
PROSPEROUS BUSINESS. THEY ORGANIZED EXHIBITION
GAMES, MINI TOURNAMENTS, WITH DIFFERENT BASKETBALL
TEAMS.
BASKETBALL FOLLOWED A BOXING-STYLE, WRESTLINGSTYLE FORMAT, IN WHICH LOCAL, REGIONAL, ETHNIC
RIVALRIES WERE DISPLAYED IN THE COURT
RELIEF GAMES
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DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION IN THE 1930s BASKETBALL
BECAME AN EXTREMELY POPULAR FORM OF
ENTERTAINMENT IN NEW YORK CITY.
1931 JIMMY WALKER, NYC MAYOR COMMISSIONED A GROUP
OF SPORTS WRITERS TO ORGANIZE TRIPLE-HEADERS AT
THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, THE PURPOSE OF THESE
MINI TOURNAMENTS WAS TO SECURE FUNDS FOR PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE. THEY WERE CALLED RELIEF GAMES.
THE NY CITY RELIEF FUND GAMES, BETWEEN 1931-33
BECAME AN INSTANT SUCCESS FOR MEDIA AND GENERAL
PUBLIC/
E. “NED” IRISH, EMERGED AS BASKETBALL ENTREPRENEUR,
FROM 1934 ON, AND FOLLOWED BOXING NETWROK AAND
“RECIPY” PROMOTIONS
IN 1936 DURING A LONG ISLAND-STANFORD GAME, ANGELO
LUISETTI WAS CREDITED WITH THE FIRST ONE-HAND SHOT
IN THE SPORT.
1938-1950 NIT GOLDEN TIMES
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FOLLOWING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE RELIEF GAMES AND
IRISH’S PROMOTION, BASKETBALL BECAME A REGULAR
FEATURE FOR INDOOR ARENAS IN URBAN AREAS.
THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN PROMOTIONS
DEMONSTRATED THAT BASKETBALL COULD BE AN
ATTRACTIVE FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT FOR WIDE
AUDIENCES.
METRO BASKETBALL WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION IN NYC,
BECAME THE ORGANIZERS IN 1938 OF THE FIRST NATIONAL
INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL.
NIT TO DETERMINE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
1939 NCAA FIRST POST-SEASON TOURNAMENT
THE NIT EXPERIENCED TREMENDOUS FINANCIAL SUCCESS
1950 DOUBLE/TRIPLE HEADERS AT MSG +600,000 IN
ATTENDANCE
THE GARDEN COLLAPSE
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IN THE 1950s BASKETBALL EXPERIENCED A DRASTIC CRISIS
SIMILAR TO THE BLACK SOX SCANDAL IN 1919-20. THE
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COLLEGE BASKETBALL, GAMBLING
AND ORGANIZED CRIME BROUGHT THE SPORT TO AN
IMMINENT COLLAPSE.
1951 NYC D.A. FRANK HOGAN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO
MSG BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS CONCLUDED:
32 PLAYERS FROM 7 COLLEGE TEAMS PARTICIPATED IN
FIXING POINT SPREADS
GAMBLERS HAVE ADAPTED TO BASKETBALL SCORES AND
POINT SPREAD WAS NOW A REGULAR FEATURE IN SPORTS
GAMBLING.
“SHAVING POINTS” HAD BECOME A PRACTICE BY WINNING
TEAMS, AND/OR KEY PLAYERS INVOLVED WITH ORGANIZED
CRIME AND PROFESSIONAL GAMBLERS.
ROAD TO THE GARDEN
PRACTICES
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IN ADDITION TO GAMBLING ACTIVITIES, INVESTIGATIONS
UNCOVERED SIGNIFICANT VIOLATIONS IN THE AMATEUR
STATUS OF ATHLETES PARTICIPATING IN COLLEGE
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS:
ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT OF ATHLETES
MORE THAN 500 PLAYERS WITH “WORKING POSITIONS” IN
AND OUTSIDE THEIR COLLEGES.
FOR JOURNALISTS AND COLLEGE AUTHORITIES IT BECAM
CLEAR THAT COLLEGE BASKETBALL SHOULD NOT BE
FEATURED BY BIG CITY’S ARENAS’. THE CRISIS WAS SEEN
AS THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN’S AND OTHER ARENAS’
FAULT.
BASKETBALL PROGRAMS AT NEW YORK METROPOLITAN
COLLEGES TERMINATED
COLLEGE SPORTS IN BOXING ARENAS BANNED
IRISH DOUBLE-HEADERS FINISHED
BASKETBALL IN THE 60s
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AFTER THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN COLLAPSE, COLLEGE
BASKETBALL MIGRATED OUT OF URBAN ARENAS
STATE UNIVERSITIES, WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND POLITICAL
CLOUD TO BUILD LARGE INDOOR ARENAS, BECAME PERFECT
HOSTS TO COLLEGE BASKETBALL SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISES.
STATE UNIVERSITIES, (KANSAS, KENTUCKY, UCLA, ETCETERA)
BECAME NEW MAGNETS FOR COLLEGE BASKETBALL.
SIGNIFICANT ETHNIC DISTRIBUTION CHANGES TOOK PLACE IN THE
COMPOSITION OF TEAMS IN NCAA TOURNAMENTS.
IRISH-JEWISH-ITALIAN WERE REPLACED BY AFRICAN AMERICAN
PLAYERS, AS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION’S PRESENCE
WAS MORE SIGNIFICANT IN URBAN AREAS.
AFRICAN AMERICAN ATHLETES BROUGHT NEW STYLES INTO THE
SPORT, WHICH BECAME MORE INDIVIDUALIST, MORE PHYSICAL,
AND MORE COMPETITIVE. INDIVIDUALISM, BALL-HANDLING, SPEED,
STRENGTH BECAME KEY FEATURES IN THE SPORT.
UCLA WAS THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM THAT BETTER ADAPTED TO
THE NEW SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATING A LONG-LASTING
DINASTY. MOREOVER, THE HEIGHT OF PLAYERS INCREASED IN
DRAMATIC RATES (CALLED THE HEIGHT REVOLUTION)
NCAA AND TELEVISION
1970s COLLEGE BASKETBALL MAJOR
TV ENTERTAINMENT
 NCAA TOURNAMENT EXPANDED TO 64
 1990s FINAL FOUR PASSED BASEBALL
WORLD SERIES IN RATINGS
 1994 CBS BIGGEST TV CONTRACT IN
HISTORY FOR “MARCH MADNESS”
1.750 BILLIONS TO NCAA
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TV AND COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
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“HOUSE RULES” TRADITION, TV BROADCAST
NEGOTIATED WITH EACH COLLEGE.
1953 NCAA GAINED CONTROL OF FOOTBALL
BROADCASTING RIGHTS
1956 STUDENT/ATHLETE SCHOLARSHIPS FORMAT
1966 “GAME OF THE WEEK”: NOTRE DAMEMICHIGAN STATE, BIG SHOW PRODUCTION, “GAME
OF THE CENTURY”.
COLLEGE SPORTS PROFITABLE TV ENTERPRISE
1968 NCAA SIGNED FIRST “SINGLE PACKAGE”
CONTRACT WITH NBC FOR BASKETBALL
TOURNAMENT
($2 MILLION DEAL)
TV AND COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
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1970s COLLEGE BASKETBALL MAJOR TV ENTERTAINMENT
CANHAM, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN A.D. COPY RIGHT “M”
MERCHANDISE WOLVERINE PRODUCTS, FOLLOWING
ROZELLE MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR THE NFL
1982 NOTRE DAME, OKLAHOMA, GEORGIA FILED SUIT vs.
NCAA TV BROADCASTING RIGHTS, 1984 U.S. SUPREME
COURT RULED AGAINST NCAA, ALLOWING UNIVERSITIES TO
NEGOTIATE SEPARATELY.
1985 NCAA TOURNAMENT EXPANDED TO 64;
80% TOTAL NCAA INCOME FROM BB TV CONTRACTS IN 1980s
SATELITE CABLE BROADCASTING, HIGH QUALITY/
INEXPENSIVE/ MULTIREGIONAL COVERAGE.
1990s FINAL FOUR PASSED BASEBALL WORLD SERIES IN
RATINGS
1994 CBS BIGGEST TV CONTRACT IN HISTORY FOR “MARCH
MADNESS” 1,750 MILLIONS TO NCAA
COLLEGE SPORTS - CABLE
ESPN, CREATED IN 1979
 CHET SIMMONS, ABC WIDE WORLD OF
SPORTS 1960s, PRESIDENT NBC
SPORTS IN 1970s.
 BILL RASMUSSEN, P.R./ANNOUNCER
NEW ENGLAND WHALERS HOCKEY,
FIRST ESPN PRESIDENT
 GETTY OIL COMPANY, MAIN
INVESTOR, 85%
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ESPN & NCAA
COLLEGE BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL.
 CELEBRITY BROADCASTERS (VITALE,
BERMAN, PATRICK, OLBERMAN)
 SPORTS CENTER, ONE OF THE MOST
POPULAR NIGHTLY NEWS SHOWS,
PRODUCED AS A SITCOM WRITERS
TEAM, HUMOR, ANALYSIS,
INFORMATION.
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ESPN SUCCESS
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SPORTS, +RELEVANCE AS SOURCE OF INCOME
FOR TV CABLE/NETWORKS
TRASH SPORTS, MADE FOR TV CONTESTS,
CELEBRITIES CHALLENGE
1990s DISNEY-ABC-ESPN
1995 EXTREME-GAMES (X-GAMES) LAUNCHED BY
ESPN
1997 ABC-ESPN BOUGHT BY DISNEY
2004 ESTIMATE: $500 MILL. YEAR-PROFITS, 1.5
BILLION REVENUE, 15.5 BILL.MARKET VALUE.
“SCANDAL SCHOOLS” ERA
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IN THE LAST DECADES OF THE 20TH CENTURY SCHOLARS
HAVE IDENTIFIED A TRIPLE CRISIS IN COLLEGE SPORTS:
INTEGRITY OF ATHLETIC PROGRAMS: MORE AND MORE
ATHLETIC PROGRAMS HAVE RECEIVED SANCTIONS FOR
VIOLATIONS OF NCAA POLICIES REGARDING RECRUITING
AND SUBSIDIES TO STUDENT-ATHLETES. A NUMBER OF
PRESTIGIOUS SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO VACATE
CHAMPIONSHIPS AND TITLES.
ATHLETES’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE HAVE BEEN THE
SUBJECT OF INCREASING SCRUTINY BY NCAA OFFICIALS
RISING COSTS OF COLLEGE SPORTS IS MAKING COLLEGE
SPORTS MORE AND MORE DEPENDENT ON TV REVENUE, TV
CONTRACTS AND TV RULES
NCAA 2005 FOOTBALL SEASON / HIGHEST EXPENSES
BY TEAM (IN MILLIONS)
OHIO STATE
TEXAS
FLORIDA
MICHIGAN
REVENUE
60.8
60.9
49.2
50.4
EXPENSES
32.3
18.4
15.8
12.8
PROFITS
29.5
42.5
32.4
37.6
NCAA 2005-6 SEASON/ HIGHEST EXPENSES
BY UNIVERSITY (IN MILLIONS)
OHIO
STATE
TEAMS 36
REVEN. 104.7
EXPEN. 101.8
PROFIT 2.9
TEXAS
U. FLA.
U. MICH.
20
97.8
83.6
14.2
20
82.4
78.2
4.2
25
85.5
67.9
17.6
NCAA REFORMS, 1984-2000
90% COLLEGE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS
WITH MORE EXPENSES THAN INCOME
 COACHES HIGHEST PAID UNIVERSITY
OFFICIALS
 1984 NCAA REFORMATION: DEATH
PENALTY FOR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS,
INCREASE TIX PRICE, EXPAND
COLLEGE STADIUMS, FOLLOW NBA
AND NFL PRO-MODEL
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COLLEGE REVENUE SPORTS
DEBATE
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AS ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS ARE ACCELERATING THE
PROCESS OF PROFESSIONALIZATION IN COLLEGE SPORTS,
IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE, MANAGEMENT, FACILITIES
AND SERVICES TO THE SPECTATORS/CONSUMERS, A
DEBATE ON THE STATUS OF REVENUE SPORTS IN GAINING
MOMENTUM:
ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE PERSPECTIVES NCAA
BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL ATHLETES SHOULD BE
REMUNERATED AT MARKET-VALUE RATES TO COMPLETE
THE FULL PROFESSIONALIZATION OF COLLEGE SPORTS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
OTHERS SEEM TO THINK THAT “REVENUE-SPORTS” IN
COLLEGE SHOULD BE MANAGED INDEPENDENTLY FROM
ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, WITHOUT SUBSIDIES FROM THEIR
UNIVERSITIES. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
FINALLY A MORE TRADITIONALIST PERSPECTIVE MAINTAINS
THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE WITH THE STATUS QUO