REPORT OF THE NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIPS/SPORTS MANAGEMENT CABINET JUNE 11-12, 2013, MEETING The NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management Cabinet submits this report from its June 11-12, 2013, meeting. KEY ITEMS. None. ACTION ITEMS. 1. Legislative Items. 2. None. Nonlegislative Items. None. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS. 1. Approval of the Championships/Sports Management Cabinet Report. The cabinet report from the February 12-13, 2013, meeting was approved as previously distributed. 2. Report from the NCAA Division I Leadership Council, NCAA Division I Board of Directors and the NCAA Executive Committee April/May 2013 Meetings. The cabinet received an informational report summarizing the ongoing review of the Division I governance structure, the examination of current transfer regulations, and the progress of the Football Subcommittee of the NCAA Division I Leadership Council. In addition, NCAA staff provided an update on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors actions related to the proposals developed by the NCAA Working Group on Collegiate Model - Rules. 3. Cabinet Policies and Operating Procedures. The Policies and Operating Procedures Manual was updated as directed by the cabinet during its February 2013 meeting. 4. Report from the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The cabinet received an informational report from Alanna Gerber, a member of Oakland University’s women’s golf team, without taking action. Report of the Championships Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 2 __________ 5. Report from the NCAA Administrative Committee. Division I Championships/Sports Management a. Strategic discussions. The NCAA Division I Championships/Sports Management Administrative Committee and, subsequently the full cabinet, discussed the need to assess championships priorities, particularly in light of the current economic environment. The cabinet will continue its strategic planning related to championships priorities, governance structure issues and budget discussions during its September 2013 meeting. b. Misconduct Appeals Subcommittee. The Administrative Committee recommended and the cabinet approved the establishment of a Misconduct Appeals Subcommittee consisting of five members, with at least two members representing Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institutions, at least one member representing an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) institution and at least one member representing a Division I institution. The vice chair of the cabinet will serve as the chair of the Misconduct Appeals Subcommittee. The appellate process was previously a responsibility of the Administrative Committee. 6. Cabinet Redesign. The staff provided an update on the cabinet’s ongoing efforts to ensure that it’s operating in the most effective and efficient manner. Specifically, the update included a summary of modifications implemented to date as well as timelines and individuals responsible for implementation. The cabinet will continue to consider best practices for cabinet liaisons and sports committees to interact in a manner that will allow the liaisons to best represent the sport during cabinet discussions. In addition, the cabinet agreed to explore opportunities for cabinet liaisons to be involved in the site selection process for their relevant sport(s). 7. Cabinet Collaboration with Leadership Council. Along with two representatives from the Council, including the Council’s chair, members of the cabinet discussed ways to collaborate with the Council to ensure the work of the two entities has the most positive impact on the Division I membership. It was agreed that this collaborative relationship will continue and specific methods of collaboration will be explored including but not limited to joint meetings, overlap of members and more targeted communication between the groups. 8. Sand Volleyball Name Change Discussion. As the sport of sand volleyball has developed, some corporate and media partners, fans and participants have expressed confusion regarding the difference, if any, between beach and sand volleyball. As a result, cabinet members engaged in a discussion on whether the title of the championship should be changed from sand volleyball to beach volleyball. The cabinet agreed to Report of the Championships Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 3 __________ refer the issue to the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Committee for feedback. In addition, the cabinet directed the staff to further vet the issue with corporate and media partners and the membership more broadly. 9. Mixed Team Championships Policy. The cabinet received an informational report from staff related to the evaluation of competition against mixed teams. Specifically, staff provided a recommendation for the cabinet’s consideration as to how regular season contests against a mixed team could be counted in the selection criteria of sports for which mixed teams are not eligible for championships consideration. It was noted that the NCAA Division II and III Championships Committees reviewed this issue during their May meetings and that a consistent approach among all divisions is desirable. Further, it was noted that the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will have an opportunity to provide feedback. The cabinet agreed to continue its discussion of this topic in anticipation of a final recommendation for review during the cabinet’s September 2013 meeting. 10. Play-In Game Overview. Staff provided the cabinet with information related to current legislation that requires play-in games for team sports when conference eligibility for automatic qualification (AQ) is greater than 50 percent of the championship field. Additionally, as part of the presentation, a historical record was provided that noted championships that have needed to use play-in games as part of their championships. Further, the cabinet approved a recommendation that when a play-in game is necessary, a conference Ratings Performance Index (RPI) will be determined by calculating the conference RPI using only those conference members that are members in both the relevant championship season and the previous season. It was noted that this change will provide a more consistent and accurate reflection of end of season RPI, which are used to calculate play-in game participants for the following year. 11. Championship Media and Presentation Updates. Keith Martin, NCAA managing director of championships and alliances, provided an overview of the core functional areas under the NCAA’s marketing and broadcast alliances umbrella. As part of the presentation, Mr. Martin provided information on staff roles and responsibilities, highlights and achievements and key takeaways from the 2012-2013 championships season related to the following areas: ticketing and marketing, media coordination and statistics, branding and fan experiences, corporate relationships; broadcast, digital and social media and community outreach for championships. NCAA Site Selection and Bid Process Timeline. The cabinet was provided a presentation by staff related to the site selection process, including technology enhancements that have been developed for bid submissions. The cabinet was provided Report of the Championships Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 4 __________ the timeline for prospective host institutions to consider bid opportunities in the next bid cycle which will include all 23 sports and more than 500 sites, in the academic years 2014-15 through 2017-2018. It was noted that a longer-term strategy for hosting will be developed that will benefit both institutions and host cities. It is expected that the NCAA will realize economies and efficiencies of scale during the next bid cycle. 12. Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The cabinet was provided an update on the 2013 Men’s Final Four, along with a recap of the 75th anniversary activities that were conducted throughout the year-long celebration of the sport. Attendance records were set for the Final Four (149,676) and the championship game (74,326). In addition, it was noted that participation in and attendance at ancillary events increased significantly. Also, staff summarized operational changes related to the championship including reduced courtside media seating, providing tickets to student-athletes’ families behind team benches and student seating in “end zones.” 13. Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. The cabinet was provided a recap of the 2013 Women’s Final Four and earlier rounds of the championship, including information specific to the expanded media coverage provided during preliminary rounds and at the finals site. The report to the cabinet included key elements of the championship including historical trends, marketing efforts, attendance, and economics of the sport and officiating. Additionally, it was reported that a white paper on the state of women’s collegiate basketball has been developed and is serving as a tool for soliciting feedback from the membership and other key stakeholders. 14. NCAA Winter Championship Surveys and Results Tracking. Staff provided the cabinet with an update from the winter championships surveys. During the presentation, staff noted that although the overall response rates increased from the previous year, the response rate for this year’s surveys was approximately seven percent. The staff will continue to modify the operating procedures to increase the response rate going forward. It was noted that the survey results from the spring championships will be aggregated and incorporated into a final report that will be shared during the September 2013 cabinet meeting. 15. Penalty Review for Misconduct Violations. At the request of the Administrative Committee, the cabinet discussed the current penalty structure related to misconduct findings. Members of the cabinet recommended that the new Misconduct Appeals Subcommittee consider developing recommendations to the penalty structure that will provide sports committees with additional flexibility in imposing penalties, including the possibility of adding regular-season sanctions to the list of penalties. Report of the Championships Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 5 __________ 16. Reports of Sports and Sport Issues Committees. a. NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee. The cabinet received an informational report and noted a joint meeting was conducted to discuss the state of college basketball. The joint meeting included representation from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee and will serve as a foundation for future collaboration. b. NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Committee. The cabinet considered but did not approve a recommendation that would have permitted conference representatives to be present during discussions when any teams from that individual’s conference are being discussed by the Women’s Basketball Committee. It was noted that the current rule was developed to avoid actual and perceived conflicts of interest and members of the cabinet agreed that the current rule is functioning appropriately. In a related matter, the cabinet agreed to request that an appropriate balance between conference and institutional personnel be considered during the appointment process by the Administrative Committee. c. NCAA Division I Field Hockey Committee. d. (1) Automatic Qualification/Play-in Games. The cabinet reviewed a request from the Field Hockey Committee to approve five conferences for AQ and the match-ups for three play-in games. In light of changing conference demographics and alignments, the cabinet referred the recommendation back to the Field Hockey Committee to consider submitting a revised recommendation after reviewing the conference changes. It was noted that the Administrative Committee could approve the new recommendation on behalf of the full cabinet. (2) Secondary selection criteria. The cabinet approved a recommendation that the Field Hockey Committee be permitted to add “significant wins and losses” to its secondary selection criteria. It was noted that several other team sports currently use “significant wins and losses” in their secondary selection criteria. (3) RPI. The cabinet approved a modification to the RPI such that institutions not eligible to compete in their postseason conference tournament due to a change in membership status are considered “independent” for RPI purposes. NCAA Division I Men’s Football Committee. (1) Championship selection language. The cabinet approved a change to the selection criteria language from “less than seven Division I wins may Report of the Championships Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 6 __________ place a team in jeopardy of not being selected” to “less than six Division I wins may place a team in jeopardy of not being selected.” e. f. (2) Conference opponent policy. The cabinet approved a change to the bracketing procedures to allow for conference opponents that did not play each other during the regular season to be matched up in a first-round game of the championship. (3) Simple Rating System. The cabinet approved a request to permit the Men’s Football Committee to use the Simple Rating System as a tool to assist in the evaluation and selection of at-large teams for the football championship. Although some concern was expressed related to the use of this tool, the cabinet agreed with the Men’s Football Committee that an objective tool such as this could be beneficial to deliberations and that the Men’s Football Committee should evaluate the tool after the first year to determine whether it is the most appropriate tool or whether modifications should be made. (4) Background checks. The cabinet approved the use of background checks for officials working the national championship game. NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Committee. (1) Format adjustment. The cabinet approved an adjustment to the format for the men’s golf championship such that following three days of stroke play (54 holes) the top eight teams for match play will be determined and then the top 40 players and any ties advance for an additional day of stroke play to determine a 72-hole individual champion. (2) Date formula change. The cabinet approved a recommendation to change the date formula to accommodate a live-television broadcast. As a result, the championship will begin on the fourth Friday in May. NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Committee. The cabinet received an informational report specific to preliminary discussions conducted regarding coverage options for Division I men’s and women’s collegiate golf on the Golf Channel. In was noted that the Women’s Golf Committee will continue to discuss during their summer annual meetings the multiple platforms and enhanced exposure opportunities for the sport of women’s collegiate golf that the Golf Channel agreement provides. Specifically, the Women’s Golf Committee noted its responsibility to ensure that the Division I Women’s Golf Championships are positioned in a manner that will maximize the media exposure for the sport and expressed their desire to discuss proposals that are developed for changes to the championships with the membership prior to submitting a formal Report of the Championships Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 7 __________ recommendation for approval consideration to the cabinet at its September 2013 meeting. g. h. NCAA Men’s and Women’s Rifle Committee. (1) Individual selection policy. The cabinet approved a change to the policy for selecting individual qualifiers to participate in the rifle championships such that all eight individual qualifiers will be required to represent institutions not qualifying for the team competition. This change will allow both the team and individual selection announcements to be made on the same day. It was noted that the change would not result in an increase in the number of participants in the championship. (2) Assistant range officers. The cabinet approved a recommendation that two additional assistant range officers be permitted for the championship. NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Committee. (1) Officiating. The cabinet approved a recommendation that the criteria for assistant referees assigned to NCAA Division I men’s soccer postseason matches be revised to allow the requirement to be met from a combination of assignments as a referee and assistant referee rather than from the position of assistant referee only. (2) Date formula for quarterfinals. The cabinet approved a change in the date formula that will ensure that the quarterfinals will be conducted Friday or Saturday, eliminating the option of conducting Sunday competition. i. NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Committee. The cabinet approved a change in the date formula that will ensure that the quarterfinals will be conducted Friday or Saturday, eliminating the option of conducting Sunday competition. In addition, the cabinet received an informational report noting that the Men’s Soccer Committee will be seeking a squad size increase during the next budget cycle. j. NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Committee. (1) Elimination of indoor track and field final qualifying meets. The cabinet approved a recommendation to eliminate the NCAA’s approval process for final qualifying meets. (2) Change of qualifying window. The cabinet approved a recommendation to move the qualifying window deadline for submitting results to midnight Report of the Championships Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 8 __________ the second Sunday preceding the national championship. It was noted that conferences have a submission deadline of one day later, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday. k. l. NCAA Men’s Water Polo Committee. (1) Automatic Qualification/Play-In Game. The cabinet approved for the 2013 National Collegiate Men’s Water Polo Championship the addition of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) as an automatic-qualifying conference in addition to the previously approved conferences: Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) and Western Water Polo Association (WWPA). As a result of the addition of a fourth AQ conference, the committee also requested and received cabinet approval for the 2013 championship that would require that the third and fourth ranked Rating Percentage Index (RPI) conferences at the end of the prior year’s season participate in a play-in game to determine the third spot into the 2013 four-team championship bracket. The committee noted that the approval of the play-in game maintains the four team tournament field breakdown of three AQ’s and one at-large berth. (2) The cabinet approved a modification to include the evaluation of the RPI as secondary criteria. NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee. (1) RPI requirement. The cabinet approved a recommendation that each wrestler who has wrestled 17 matches will have a corresponding RPI. This modification eliminates the requirement that a wrestler’s opponent must also have wrestled 17. (2) Pairings and seeding adjustment. The cabinet approved a recommendation that the top 16 wrestlers in each weight class be seeded, with no requirement that wrestlers from the same conference/qualifying tournament not meet in the first round. In addition, all “pigtail” (play-in) matches will be selected from the pool of unseeded wrestlers. (3) Championships format. The cabinet received an informational report outlining the Wrestling Committee’s efforts to create a team component of the Division I Wrestling Championships. Report of the Championship Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 9 __________ 17. NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Issues Committee. The cabinet received an informational report, noting the committee’s discussion regarding the merits of organized, athletically related unofficial visits and support for prohibiting unofficial visits in conjunction with April nonscholastic events. The Men’s Basketball Issues Committee requested that the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) seek additional feedback from the Division I men’s basketball coaches for its review on both topics. Additionally, it was noted that the Men’s Basketball Issues Committee did not support changes to current legislation that requires evaluations of April nonscholastic events to be included in the 130-recruiting person days. 18. NCAA Division I Football Issues Committee. The cabinet received an informational report without taking action. 19. NCAA Olympic Sports Liaison Committee (OSLC). The cabinet received an informational report, noting the OSLC requested an editorial revision to Bylaw 14.7.3.1 (national-team criteria) and specifically subparagraph (a) to reflect that the definition of national teams includes those teams designated by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), national governing body or other organizations recognized by the USOC (or, for student-athletes representing another nation, the equivalent organization of that nation, or, for student-athletes competing in a non-Olympic sport, the equivalent organization in that sport). 20. NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP). The cabinet was presented with an informational report, noting that PROP is encouraging coaches to provide feedback on proposed playing rules changes in response to requests from the PROP. 21. Championships Mock Selections Presentation. The cabinet participated in an interactive team championship selection and bracketing exercise. The exercise was designed to provide cabinet members with exposure to the selection, seeding and bracketing process and transparency to the challenges related to the process (e.g., logistics and economics). The cabinet will engage in a similar exercise for an individualteam sport during a future meeting. 22. Committee Chair Appointment. The cabinet approved a request to waive the prohibition against head coaches serving as committee chairs and appointed Mike Greene, Head Rifle coach at Columbia State University as chair. Report of the Championship Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 10 __________ 23. Women’s Bowling - Consideration of Automatic Qualification. The cabinet reviewed a recommendation from the Northeast Conference to establish AQ in the sport of women’s bowling. It was noted that as sponsorship in the sport continues to increase, issues related to championships access and parity are ripe for discussion. The cabinet referred the concept of AQ to the NCAA Women’s Bowling Committee with a request that the Women’s Bowling Committee develop a report containing the benefits and challenges related to the issue for the cabinet’s consideration at its September meeting. 24. Automatic Qualification. The cabinet awarded automatic qualification as follows: a. NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee. The following 11 conferences are approved for the 2013 NCAA Division I Football Championship: Big Sky Conference, Big South Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, MidEastern Athletic Conference, Missouri Valley Football Conference, Northeast Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, The Patriot League, Pioneer Football League, Southern Conference and the Southland Conference. b. NCAA Men’s Soccer Committee. The following 22 conferences are approved for the 2013 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship: America East Conference: Atlantic 10 Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Big East Conference, Big South Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big West Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Conference USA, Horizon League, The Ivy League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Mid-American Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Northeast Conference, Pac-12 Conference, Patriot League, Southern Conference, The Summit League, Western Athletic Conference and the West Coast Conference. c. NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Committee. The following 30 conferences are approved for the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship: America East Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Big East Conference, Big Sky Conference, Big South Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Big West Conference, Colonial Athletic Association, Conference USA, Horizon League, The Ivy League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Mid-American Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Mountain West Conference, Northeast Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Pac-12 Conference, Patriot League, Southeastern Conference, Southern Conference, Southland Conference, Southwestern Athletic Conference, The Summit League, Sun Belt Conference, West Coast Conference and the Western Athletic Conference. d. NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Committee. The following 31 conferences are approved for the 2013 championship: America East Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference, Big Report of the Championship Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 11 __________ East Conference, Big Sky Conference, Big South Conference, Big Ten Conference, Big 12 Conference, Big West Conference, Colonial Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Horizon League, Ivy League, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Mid-American Conference, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Mountain West Conference, Northeast Conference, Ohio Valley Conference, Pacific-12 Conference, Patriot League, Southeastern Conference, Southern Conference, Southland Conference, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Sun Belt Conference, The Summit League, West Coast Conference and the Western Athletic Conference. e. NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee. The following eight conferences are approved for the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships: Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten Conference, Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, Eastern Wrestling League, Mid-American Conference, Pac-12 Conference, Southern Conference and the West Regional Conference. 25. NCAA Working Group on Collegiate Model – Rules Update. The cabinet received an update from the Rules Working Group, including information related to the work of the Bylaw 17 subgroup. The cabinet provided feedback and additional points to consider regarding previously approved playing and practice season concepts. 26. NCAA Working Group on Collegiate Model – Enforcement Update. The cabinet was provided an informational report from staff on the NCAA Working Group on Collegiate Model - Enforcement’s efforts, noting that the new penalty structure will be effective August 1, 2013. Beginning on that date, Level IV violations will be processed by conference offices and Level III violations will have enhanced penalties, which may include coaching suspensions. 27. Future Meeting Dates and Sites. a. September 10-11, 2013; national office, Indianapolis. b. February 2014 (TBD), national office, Indianapolis. Committee Chair: Staff Liaisons: Jane Miller, University of Virginia, Atlantic Coast Conference Joni Comstock, Championships David W. Schnase, Academic and Membership Affairs Report of the Championship Cabinet June 11-12, 2013 Page No. 12 __________ June 11-12, 2013, Meeting Attendees Shelley Appelbaum, Michigan State University Amanda Benzine, Western Athletic Conference Barbara Burke, Eastern Illinois University Absentees Doze Y. Butler, Southern University, Baton Rouge Jeff Hurd, Western Athletic Conference Jeffrey Long, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Eugene Marshall, Iona College Scott Leykam, West Coast Conference Kenneth Casavant, Washington State University Victoria Chun, Colgate University Carrie Coll, Mountain West Conference Robert Corran, University of Vermont Amy Crosbie, Weber State University Raynoid Dedeaux, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Thomas Douple, The Summit League Nicholas Gannon, Drexel University Alanna Gerber, Oakland University Virnette House-Browning, Cleveland State University Kenneth Kavanagh, Florida Gulf Coast University Brian Keane, Rider University Craig Keilitz, High Point University Robert S. Krimmel, Saint Francis University (Pennsylvania) Beverly Lewis, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Christopher May, Saint Louis University Thomas McClelland, McNeese State University Jane Miller, University of Virginia Mario Moccia, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Terry Mohajir, Arkansas State University LeKitha Murray, Southwestern Athletic Conference Derita Ratcliffe, University of Alabama at Birmingham Lee Reed, Georgetown University Kim Record, University of North Carolina, Greensboro Harry Sheehy, Dartmouth College BeEtta Stoney, Kansas State University Brenda Vogel, Long Beach State University Other Attendees: Val Ackerman, NCAA; Mary Berdo, NCAA; Rob Bernardi, Nicholls State University; Anucha Browne, NCAA; Leslie Cagle, NCAA; Jackie Campbell; Sharon Cessna, NCAA; NCAA; Joni Comstock, NCAA; Dan Gavitt, NCAA; Maureen Harty, NCAA; Anthony Holman, NCAA; Jeff Jarnecke, NCAA; Greg Johnson, NCAA; Charnele Kemper, NCAA; Mark Lewis, NCAA; Keith Martin, NCAA; Noreen Morris, Northeast Conference; Lisa Parks, NCAA; Carol Reep, NCAA; Dave Schnase, NCAA; Mark Strothkamp, NCAA; Liz Turner Suscha, NCAA; Donnie Wagner, NCAA; Wendy Walters, NCAA cc/champs/General Documents/DI_Cabinet_CSM/Meetings/2013/June 2013/2013 June Report/Report/DS:jb/071713revised