When amateurism is a bug and not a feature, schools are still going to act in their own best interests. Shocker, that.
I await the romantics’ case for distinguishing collegiate esports players from “student-athletes”. Ought to be fascinating.
“We are not going to be under athletics partly because of NCAA…”
Filed under It's Just Bidness, The NCAA
Get The Picture 
Esports. Nerds seeking to justify their sunlightless existence as a healthy activity. Please.
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I’m not sure I agree with that assessment.
Have four nephews that all play/played real sports, two at the collegiate level, that are all esports junkies.
I know lots of pro athletes love playing Madden, NBA 2K, FIFA, Fortnite, etc.
Motor sports drivers routinely train on video simulations, much of our military operation is being conducted by what are essentially video game players, police officers are training on video simulation, etc, etc.
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I have changed my thoughts on this as well. There is not really a type of “gamer.” That designation transcends athletic ability.
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true…it has evolved greatly since I was in college in the late 80s. I don’t always understand my son’s fascination with them, I guess at 12 I probably will never get it. Just glad he likes playing sports I actually understand.
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Yeah, I love video games and have played them for years, but I don’t consider it athletic. I see the competition aspect of it but (much like chess), I don’t want to watch people play.
BTW, this PSA is for all the esport “athletes”.
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This:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/drop-the-pizza-pick-up-the-weights-videogamers-get-in-shape-1539276694
Also, a young UGA Engineering student who chose UGA over Tech because “he wanted to meet girls” told me that he and his girlfriend go on “gaming dates” where they pick a game to play the way we picked bars back in the day. He also never went to football games in HS but went to everyone he could since coming to UGA (even the noon game he got tickets to) because he wanted to be a “Real Dawg.” It was a rather interesting conversation.
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Question. Do the member schools need the NCAA anymore?
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Yes, it part because of the mens’ basketball tournament. It generates almost a billion dollars to the NCAA and all member schools get a share. Maybe SEC teams could do without their shares but most FBS teams need that March Madness check.
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For sports other than football,, ,yes. They certainly have their issues but it provides a needed framework. Fix it and move on. D1 Football should set up an organization and drop the NCAA immediately.
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The member schools are the NCAA.
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+1
It’s amazing how many people don’t understand this. They think the NCAA is some separate, evil organization and their dear old beloved university is pure and good.
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Sorry, didn’t mean to put that “+1” there.
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Of course they are. But to cede responsibility to the group they actually control is the big issue. NCAA member schools are pretty much in sync with the role the NCAA plays in other sports, it is D1 football that is dramatically different for the small schools and the large schools. Their needs and situations require them to be governed by different rules and regulations and the NCAA is ill equipped to function that way. Just drop their oversight and establish a new group to specifically deal with D1 football. NCAA already is excluded from post season games, not much further to go, and there are plenty of dollars to get a top flight organization to operate professionally. NCAA is inept when it comes to investigations and has to pay attention to the small schools because they have a vote and it is one size fits all in many cases.
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I’d like to see a full break between P5 and G5 as well.
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