Gambling Issue Raised at NCAA Convention

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nestled below Friday’s hockey coverage in USA Today are the ubiquitous advertisements from guys named Jim, Hank and Doug, and Doug is throwing in a bonus, offering “5 College Hoop Winners Free!’

Those kinds of ads could get the newspaper banned from the Final Four, if the NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee and NCAA executive director Cedric W. Dempsey have their way. The committee’s position, in the form of a letter to the newspaper, resulted after a meeting last month.

Other newspapers could be affected, although committee member and Big East Conference Commissioner Mike Tranghese said it is “not a long list” of newspapers running those college betting-service advertisements.

“We made a distinction between the betting line and advertising, that’s why we made that decision,” he said Saturday. “I can only speak for myself, but somebody has to do something about the gambling running rampant on college campuses. I don’t think there is a legal issue. It’s our tournament.”

USA Today said it will formulate a response as soon as possible. A media attorney noted that commercial speech is protected by the First Amendment.

“This came up two years ago, and we took a strong position against that then,” said Paul Bowker of the Cedar Rapids Gazette, who is president of the Associated Press Sports Editors. “And I’m quite sure we’ll take a strong position against it now as well. Obviously, we’re in total opposition to anybody saying newspapers running gambling information are denied credentials to the Final Four.”

The Times runs limited betting information and does not carry advertising from gambling services. “If it was up to me, I’d run nothing,” Times Sports Editor Bill Dwyre said.

Dempsey’s concern increased after the recent gambling scandal at Boston College. “As Walter Byers once said, ‘If there is anything that will bring down college athletics, it’ll be sports gambling,’ ” Dempsey said.

The gambling issue was only one of many discussed as delegates arrived here for the 91st and final NCAA convention, a gathering designed to put finishing touches on a lengthy restructuring process. Replacing the traditional one-school, one-vote concept, the new decentralized operation will give more power to major football conferences.

Other issues on the agenda include proposals affecting the financial status of college athletes, including rule changes aimed at allowing athletes to work part-time during the school year.