BCS Part of President-Elect Barack Obama’s “Change”

By Evin O'Sullivan

President-Elect Barack Obama’s decision to fix the Bowl Championship Series system in America’s football is a welcome decision for many sports fans.

The NCAA currently has a BCS system that calculates the top 25 teams in the country. This is decided based on the winning percentage, strength of schedule and performance. In theory it would always pick the best teams. The problem is that when a team with a weak conference is forced to play weaker teams and goes undefeated, they are told they can’t participate in the national championship. Not only is this unfair, but the whole reason the BCS was created was to allow all teams to have an equal chance and to keep the one hundred year tradition of bowl games in college football and satisfy the fans.

According to about.com the BCS was created in 1998 and modified in 2004. Since the current system is not satisfying the fans, coaches or the players, Obama feels that a change needs to be made.

“Change” was the slogan for Obama’s campaign, and that is what he plans to do in the U.S. as well as the college football system. According to examiner.com, Obama stated “I think it's about time we had playoffs in college football. I'm fed up with these computer rankings and this that and the other. Get eight teams -- the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a national champion.”

He has a point; eight teams playing for the national championship is the only way to truly prove who is the best in college football. Obama also stated on 60 Minutes that he doesn’t know a single person who watches college football and doesn’t want a playoff system. He also explains how he is going to use his newly found power as President-Elect to make it happen. Unfortunately, the presidents of the universities, who are gaining from the current system, may have a problem.

According to espn.com, a member of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee explained how the decision of keeping the BCS system is best for the players the fans and anyone else affected by the BCS.

The members of this committee are correct that some people will be negatively affected by the BCS, such as the president of the college collecting all the bowl money. The projected payout for the 2008 Tostitos Bowl is $17.5 million. A pay raise is usually passed down to the coaches to help keep them satisfied with the system. This does not always work as many coaches continue to show their disgust for the system, including Auburn Coach Tommy Tuberville.

Tuberville stated when talking to an espn.com reporter that “Presidents take the money and go spend it, but they don't worry about the business of making it better.” There is an issue here and it needs to be addressed. When players, coaches and fans are not satisfied with the system, something needs to be done. March Madness has no problem gaining money; I am sure a college football playoff system with each round sponsored by a company and similar payouts for that round will compensate for everyone.