When it comes to bureaucracy, few can match the NCAA. And when it comes to stupid bureaucratic policies that do far more harm (to the games and the fans) than good, they're in a league all of their own.
Two recent examples from the NCAA hockey tourney.
Blog Police In The House:
Upon picking up credentials yesterday, the NCAA required all media members to sign a three-page document on blogging restrictions. Ridiculous, yes.
I'm allowed to update the blog three times per period and once at the end of the period.
At first, the NCAA wanted to limit blogging because they felt it was a live representation of the game -- one that TV networks already paid for. (Do you really think anyone with access to the game on television is going to turn it off and sit on the computer and repeatedly click refresh on a blog?)
Well, maybe Captain Ed...
Yesterday, I'm told that blogging limits include every NCAA tournament. That is correct -- no blogging the Division II wrestling tournament. They feel that bloggers are getting away with a live representation of the game without paying for it.
While the only people that would follow a Division II wrestling blog would probably be family of a competing wrestler, the NCAA would rather the family not be able to follow live coverage of their son since they are not going to make money off of it. So don't believe any garbage about the NCAA caring more about student-athletes than money.
The idea that live-blogging could ever compete with live television coverage is ridiculous. What's even more ridiculous is that for most of us there isn't even television coverage available for most of the NCAA hockey games this year.
More on Liveblogging, ESPN and the NCAA:
Like I said yesterday, the NCAA will eventually lose this one, or back down. It's completely absurd epecially when you consider that ESPN is monopolizing the NCAA games. We've gone back 10 years with this tournament as a result. ESPN has the TV rights to all NCAA events. It bought them as a package. But in the last few years, they didn't have a natural home for regionals, so it would offer them up to stations around the country. Now, with ESPN-U in existence, ESPN is hoarding the games there - which would be fine, if anyone could get ESPN-U. Mainly, it's only people with the DirecTV sports pack. If you have Comcast Cable, forget it.
Funny thing is, I've worked for both Comcast and ESPN in the past, and I have absolutely no love for Comcast or cable providers in general. In fact, they are pretty evil. But even if ESPN is "right" in its fight with Comcast, it doesn't make this situation right. Bottom line is, college hockey fans can't see the games. This is where the NCAA needs to jump in, but it hasn't. Instead, it invokes live blogging policies that has scared the be-jeezus from anyone wishing to live blog.
Instead of trying to deliver more games to more fans (and maybe, I don't know actually try to promote the sport), the NCAA is spending its time and energy cracking down on live blogging. Bureaucracy at its worst.
UPDATE: Bill e-mails with more:
Liked your post on this subject. Lord is the NCAA ridiculous. Shhh...don't tell them about the forum at uscho.com where people provide scoring updates on college hockey games! Oh wait, it's probably okay to post about a game if you're watching on TV or on your computer - you just can't post about it if you're actually there.
Regionals weekend used to be the best - usually six to eight games this weekend ... two on Friday, three or four on Saturday, and another one or two on Sunday. Load up the fridge with beer and stock the snack bar! Now we get whatever FSN North decides to pick up, which this year was only two games featuring Minnesota and North Dakota - two teams I see all season long anyway. Yeah, nice way to promote the sport. Good job NCAA and ESPN.
Now that the Gophers are out, I'm wondering if we're even going to get to see the Sioux-undeserving Badger regional final today. No chance that we'd be lucky enough to see BC-Miami.
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