The NCAA July 14,1982, Volume 19 Number 12 Official Publication of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ABC challenges football cable pact A lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s NCAA legal counsel George H. supplementary football television SC- Gangwere said the network contract ries has been filed in Atlanta and likely did not prohibit a transmission such as will be heard within the next six the one Turner wdl use. weeks. ‘,‘The contract essentially is silent ABC, Inc.; ABC Sports, and Cox on that subject,” Gangwcre said. Broadcasting Company filed the suit “ABC construes it to mean that the June 6 in Fulton County Superior supplementary scrics is limited to ca- Court charging the NCAA violated a ble or pay telcvtsion.” contract giving ABC and CBS cxclu- To transmit to its cable affiliates, sive rights to broadcast live college Turner contends it must carry games football games in I982- 1985. The two on the air in Atlanta over WTBS. networks purchased rights to televise college football for the next four sea- “The NCAA tccls that Turner has a sons at a cost of $263.5 million. reasonable way of originating the sup- ABC’s request for a temporary rem plcmentary series, which IS designed straining order, which would have for members that don’t regularly ap- barred the implementation of the sup- pear on the network series,” said plementary series, was denied June 8 Gangwerc. “ABC apparently feels by Superior Court Judge Isaac that they do not want us doing a UHF Jenrette. The issue had been settled at broadcast in the Atlanta area. an earlier date with CBS, and it is not “We think we arc Justified in be- contemplated that CBS will file any lieving that the contract is broad similar action. enough to authorize putting on the sup- The NCAA and Turner Broadcast- plementary series by this kind of me- ing System, Inc., reached agreement dium, a superstation-type.” in February on a two-year contract for Under the terms of the Turner con- Georgia’s Herschel Walker to participate in tour a supplementary series of live football tract, supplementary series cablecasts cablecasts. Turner will originate its ca- cannot conflict with network telecasts ble coverage over its Atlanta-based su- of college football games. Turner pur- perstation, WTBS. chased rights to the supplementary se- Football tour to begin August 1 . ABC cont6tld~ the iqremau~ with ries for%17 millkm. Six outstanding players and II of coaches Hayden Fry of Iowa, Don featuring Missouri coach Watren Turner violates ABC’s contract with “ABC knew and agreed that there the NCAA because WTBS also will the nation’s top coaches will partici- Nehlen of West Virginia, Tom Os- Powers. The tour concludes the mom- would be a supplementary series,” pate in the seventh annual NCAA- borne of Nebraska, Charley Pell of ing of August 7 in Los Angeles, where broadcast games over free airways in Gangwere said. the Atlanta area, competing with the ABC Football Promotion Tour, which Florida and Jackie Sherrill of Texas Arkansas coach Lou Holtz will meet local ABC affiliate, WSB-TV. Cox Gangwere said he expected the case begins August 1 in Kings Mills, Ohio. A&M will be held August 2 at the the press at the Century Plaza Hotel Broadcasting owns WSB. to be heard and a decision delivered Georgia running back Herschel Kings Island Inn in Kings Mills. Along with the six players, tour The suit claims the value of I4 before the start of the 1982 college Walker will meet the press at all seven On August 3 the tour moves to moderator Keith Jackson of ABC-TV games that will be carried by WSB football season. stops on the tour, along with Arkansas New York, where Notre Dame coach will make all seven stops. “will be greatly diminished because a “We are disappointed that ABC defensive end Billy Ray Smith, Pitts- Gerry Faust will speak to the press in a Jackson, whose principal assign substantial number of additional elected to sue us on this issue,” burgh quarterback Dan Marina, Stan- noon luncheon at the Plaza Hotel. ment for ABC is play-by-play an- NCAA football games will be broad- Gangwere said, “particularly in view ford quarterback John Elway, Nebras- From there, the tour moves to Boston, nouncer for the NCAA football series, cast free over the air in Atlanta on of our long relationship that extends ka center Dave Rimington and North where an August 4 breakfast and press has been the tour moderator in each of WTBS.” for some I6 years in a row. ” Carolina running back Kelvin Bryant. conference at the Parker House will the seven years. The tour begins August I at the Col- feature Penn State coach Joe Patcmo. A football promotion tour also is be- lege Football Hall of’Fame with the August 5 is a busy day for the six ing planned by CBSTV, which shares In the News annual meeting of the Football Writers players as the tour stops in Atlanta and the televising rights with ABC this Association of America. Following an Dallas. Brigham Young coach LaVell season. The Collegiate Commissioners Association has approved two major changes interview with David M. Nelson, Edwards will be featured at a breakfast The tentative dates for the CBS tour in its letter-of-intent program _.. _.. ..3 secretaryrules editor of the NCAA and press conference at the Atlanta are August 23-27’; however, names of A Federal district court rules that the Department of Education does not have Football Rules Committee and director Hilton, and Washington coach Don’ coaches and players have not been de- the authority to investigate the University of Richmond athletic department of athletics at the University of Dela- James will meet the press later that day termined. for Title IX compliance reviews because the athletic department does not ware, the media will interview the six in Dallas. A story on the CBS football promo- receive direct Federal assistance.. _.. _.. .3 touring athletes. The tour moves to Seattle August 6 tion tour will appear in the July 28 is- A press conference involving for a breakfast and press conference sue of The NCAA News. Title IX not a dead issue, but it’s mellowmga (EDITOKS NOTE. This articfe is the Title IX itself - as opposed to the and of ongoing changes on college between the budgets for men’s and that in my view merely would conform firs? of two reprinting a speech entitled Title IX controversy - clearly is alive campuses reflecting that commitment. women’s university athletic pro- Federal policy to the express terms of “Is Title IX a Dead Issue?” by Wil- and well, in many different respects: Athletics - which is only one of many grams are shrinking. Athletic Title IX and to Congressional intent in liam D. Kramer af the NCAA’s Wash- The Federal statute that is Title IX aspects of education addressed in the scholarships are helping women as enacting the statute. ington, DC.. legal firm, Squire, remains in place. The regulation, the Title IX regulation - frequently is well as men to obtain a college edu Title IX as an issue remains very Sanders & Dempsey. Mr. Kramerpre- athletics policy interpretation, the cited as the area in which the greatest cation. active in at least one important respect: sented the speech at the College Sports 220-page investigator’s manual -the While the extent to which Title IX litigation. Notwithstanding the 1979 Information Directors of America na- whole elaborate bureaucratic appa- See related story. page 3 may have caused these developments decision of the Supreme Court that not tional workshop June 29 in Dallas. ratus intended to effectuate the statute can be debated, no one disagrees that only the government, but also private This portion of Mr. Kramer’s presen- - is unaltered. progress has been made. For example, dramatic changes have occurred and individuals may bring lawsuits to en ration describes the current overall As 1 will explain more fully, no de- the National Advisory Council on are still ongoing, although perhaps at a force Title IX, relatively few Title IX status of Title IX.) regulation initiative of any kind con- Women’s Educational Programs, in a more measured pace. suits have been brought. However, the cerning Title IX and athletics has been report issued last fall, concluded that: Title IX also remains alive and well cases that are being heard by the Fed- Is Title IX a dead issue? A number adopted. Like never before, the Office Athletics is far from the sole fo- as a political rallying point for wom- eral courts are addressing, and begin- of people have suggested that I simply for Civil Rights is completing athletics cus of Title IX, but it is the area en’s rights groups, civil-rights advo- ning to resolve, important questions answer the question “yes” or “no” compliance reviews and issuing letters with the most visible and dramatic cates and others. The continued about the nature and the scope of Title and open the floor to questions ~ but of findings. Of the 42 such letters that changes. Requirements for equal- vitality and political effectiveness of IX - questions that have made Title as those of you with experience in have been issued, 37 were issued be- ity of opportunity have led to in- these groups has been demonstrated IX a source of legal disputes. dealing with lawyers know, we are in tween January I and June 15 of this creased numbers of sports being recently by the withdrawal of Senator While Title IX as a legal issue (or a capable of giving such a simple, direct year.