House panel considers college football playoffs - Yahoo! News

Description

A top official of the Bowl Championship Series says there are more important things for Congress to worry about than pressing for a playoff system for college football.

But lawmakers were taking a crack at it anyway Wednesday. A House panel was to consider a proposal to ban the promotion of a postseason NCAA Division I football game as a national championship unless it's the outcome of a playoff.

"With everything going on in the country, I can't believe that Congress is wasting time and spending taxpayers' money on football," Bill Hancock, the BCS executive director, said in a phone interview. "We feel strongly that managing of college sports is best left to the people in higher education."

The legislation is sponsored by Texas Rep. Joe Barton, the top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The vote by the panel's commerce, trade and consumer protection subcommittee comes three days after the BCS selections were announced. Those include the Jan. 7 national title game between No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Texas.

Barton said Congress' attention is warranted, since "at this level, college football is a multibillion-dollar business" not much different from other businesses that face congressional oversight.

BCS officials don't appear worried that Barton's bill will become law.

"We just can't imagine that the members of Congress will think it's their job to dictate how college football should be played," Hancock said.

"We're pleased that Congressman Barton's bill is moving forward because it will require the BCS to choose — either make college football's championship a competitively earned honor or admit that it's currently the equivalent of being elected homecoming king," said Matthew Sanderson, a founder of Playoff PAC, a political action committee aimed at electing members of Congress who favor a playoff system.

There is no Senate version, although Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, has pressed for a Justice Department antitrust investigation into the BCS.

Shortly after his election last year, Obama said there should be a playoff system.

"I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit," Obama said at the time. "I think it's the right thing to do."

Original URL

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091209/ap_on_sp_ot/us_bcs_congress;_ylt=AkEPuJHwE6gDDznbQbb7bVOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNqa3BuYTUwBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkxMjA5L3VzX2Jjc19jb25ncmVzcwRjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhcgRjcG9zAzQEcG9zAzEEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl9oZWFkbGluZV9saXN0BHNsawNob3VzZXBhbmVsY28-

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091209/ap_on_sp_ot/us_bcs_congress;_ylt=AkEPuJHwE6gDDznbQbb7bVOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNqa3BuYTUwBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkxMjA5L3VzX2Jjc19jb25ncmVzcwRjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhcgRjcG9zAzQEcG9zAzEEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl9oZWFkbGluZV9saXN0BHNsawNob3VzZXBhbmVsY28-