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The freshly appointed Mark Emmert plans to play a larger role in discussions.
Emmert
INDIANAPOLIS — New NCAA president Mark Emmert wants to resolve the thorniest issues in college sports.
Does the men’s basketball tournament need more than 68 teams? Should there be a college football playoff? How will universities and athletic departments deal with tighter budgets?
Emmert doesn’t pretend to have all those answers less than 24 hours after accepting his new job, but the University of Washington president way he intends to find the solutions has a familiar look.
“I think that (being a president) is one of the most important attributes that I have here,” Emmert said during a conference call Wednesday. “I’ve sat in those chairs, I’ve worked in a variety of contexts in higher education, I’ve seen the situation on the ground and I understand the trade-offs one has to make.”
The 57-year-old Emmert will preside over 400,000 student-athletes, most of whom are looking to earn degrees rather than become pro athletes, and thousands of schools.
Emmert also arrives just at a tricky time for the NCAA.
Some are calling for modifications to the academic reforms his predecessor, the late Myles Brand, championed, something Emmert said needs to be considered. One proposal would force all players with concussions to get medical clearance before returning to the field, and the NCAA is contending with a lawsuit over the use of players’ images for commercial products.
But the most high-profile issue now involves the NCAA’s marquee event, the men’s basketball tourney.
Last week, the NCAA agreed to a new $10.8 billion television deal with CBS and Turner Broadcasting to carry the games. The other part of the package would expand field from 65 to 68 teams, and many think this is only the start.
Earlier this month, NCAA officials announced there were proposals to go to 80 or 96 teams before opting for the more modest number.
The NCAA tourney isn’t the only championship being discussed these days.
Emmert has been asked for his thoughts on a college football playoff, one of the biggest debates every year. Officially, Emmert is following the company line, saying a decision rests with the university presidents, not NCAA officials who sanction the bowl games.
Still, Emmert sounds more prepared to play a role in the discussion than his predecessors.
“We’re standing ready and willing to help them and think those things through,” he said. “But at the end of the day, that’s something the presidents will have to address.”