NCAA BASEBALL ISSUES COMMITTEE

FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

BACKGROUND. During its February 2003 meeting, the Division I Championships/ Competition Cabinet approved a recommendation that a broad-based ad hoc baseball review committee be formed to examine competitive equity in the sport of Division I baseball. Based on a recommendation from the Division I baseball committee, the cabinet agreed that it would be beneficial to appoint a group to review and discuss concerns that have been raised related to the sport of baseball. Concerns have been expressed about the consequences resulting from a change in the mid-1980s to national seeding, the strong use of the rating percentage index (RPI), significantly different starting dates and the impact weather has on competitive equity.

The committee members and its chair were ultimately appointed at the cabinet’s September 2003 meeting. Between the fall of 2003 and summer of 2004, the group convened via conference call on several occasions and met for in-person meetings during the 2004 NCAA Convention and the Men’s College World Series (MCWS).

In its deliberations, the committee considered feedback from the American Baseball Coaches Association and survey responses from 150 institutions, 814 student-athletes and 21 conferences. It quickly became clear to the committee that the college baseball community was much divided (most often, along geographic lines) on the issues being considered. As such, the committee considered it important to develop recommendations that best supported the long-term development of college baseball without significantly harming any particular sub-group. The committee considered a wide spectrum of ideas and potential solutions; however, those set forth below offer the committee’s best and most equitable solution to the issues of competitive equity in college baseball.

OPERATING PRINCIPLES. The following operating principles emerged during committee’s early discussions and served as guideposts during its review of competitive equity issues:

· Length of Season/Number of Contests – The current 132-day baseball season length and the current maximum number of contests (56) should be maintained. Although the changes to the length of the season and number of contests may facilitate the development of a simpler solution to competitive equity issues, reducing student-athletes’ competitive opportunities is the least desirable outcome of the committee’s work. Maintenance of these elements was supported by “northern” and “sunbelt” institutions and student-athletes responding to the committee’s survey.

· Start Dates – All of college baseball can benefit from a more uniform playing and practice season calendar. Such uniformity is more reflective of baseball as a truly national sport. A consistent start date for practice and competition may benefit “northern” programs; however, the committee recognizes that the amount of benefit is directly related to the date that would be established (i.e., more benefit accrues the later the starting date). Though differing somewhat on what the dates should be, this principle was also supported by “northern” and “sunbelt” (albeit a slight majority) survey respondents.

· Baseball Championship – The committee acknowledged that the establishment of consistent start dates and maintaining the current length of season and number of contests may have a significant impact on the dates of the Division I baseball championship and agreed that a delicate balancing of interests would be necessary to develop a satisfactory set of recommendations.

RECOMMENDATIONS. The following concepts outline the recommended playing and practice season model developed by the committee, effective for the 2006-07 academic year:

1. Establish near March 1 as the first permissible date of competition;

2. Move the start date for the Division I baseball championship one week later;

3. Establish new parameters for the nonchampionship segment; and

4. Establish February 1 as the first permissible date of practice.

1. First Permissible Date of Competition – Near March 1. The first permissible date for competition in the championship segment shall be March 1, or the Friday before March 1 if March 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.

§ This establishes a uniform start date for competition, which promotes competitive equity among institutions, regardless of geographic region, by reducing the significant gap between the first opportunity to compete (and total number of games played) at home for “northern” and “sun belt” institutions. Because home teams win approximately 60 percent of their contests, the extent to which early season disparities in number and location of contests can be reduced will benefit competitive equity.

§ Student-athletes can expect to miss less class time. Student-athletes at “northern” institutions will compete in less away games to start their seasons and student-athletes at all institutions will play more contests after classes end for the spring term.

• Currently, during the months of January and February, institutional staffs devote energies to a bevy of sports. Demands on institutional staff and facilities are significant and should be reduced with the lack of baseball practice and competition in January and only practice in February. Further, during the latter stages of the season, there should be fewer sports requiring staff or facility attention.

• In many parts of the country, institutions playing more contests during months of favorable weather may increase institutional revenues from ticket sales at home games.

• It is understood that the start date may lead to more competition outside of the academic year; however, to satisfy the need for a consistent start date without that impact would require a reduction in the number of contests or season length.

2. Division I Baseball Championship – One Week Later. The formula to establish the dates of the Division I baseball championship and the Men’s College World Series shall be amended to annually begin the championship and MCWS one week later.

§ Moving the Division I baseball championship and MCWS back one week later would adequately accommodate the near-March 1 start date (without requiring a reduction in contests or shortening the season) and support many of the benefits noted earlier.

§ The current structure and format (e.g., length and number of teams) of the Division I Baseball Championship would be preserved.

§ It is understood that there may be incremental cost increases for institutions engaging in more postseason competition outside of the academic year, however, moving the championship back one week best preserves the current baseball competitive structure (e.g., number of contests, length of season, championship) while offering the competitive-equity benefits of a near-March 1 start date.

3. Nonchampionship Season Window. During the nonchampionship segment, institutions shall be provided with a 45-day window during the months of September, October and November for practice and/or competition. Nonchampionship segment competition still will not count towards championship selection.

§ Similar to current practice, days not used during the championship segment of the 132-day playing and practice season limit may be used during the fall season. Additionally, institutions will have the flexibility to devote more days toward the fall season if they choose to begin spring practice later than the February 1 date (below).

§ It is understood that this eliminates the opportunity to practice or compete during the months of December and January; however, it gives all institutions the opportunity to practice and compete with each other during the same time frame.

4. Practice Start Date - February 1. February 1 shall be the first permissible date of practice during the championship segment.

• The February 1 start date establishes a more consistent length of time between all institutions’ first practice and first competition.

§ It is understood that all institutions may not be able to conduct practice outside on February 1, however, there should be less disparity between “northern” and “sun belt” teams in terms of their number of on-field practices prior to their first contests.

§ Student-athletes will be able to devote more time to academics during the months of January and February, when competition is generally prohibited and practice is limited.

Committee Members:

· Skip Bertman, director of athletics, Louisiana State University

· Charlie Carr, senior associate athletics director, Florida State University

· Rick Chryst, commissioner, Mid-American Conference

· Dennis Farrell, commissioner, Big West Conference, chair

· David Housel, director of athletics, Auburn University

· Danny Morrison, commissioner, Southern Conference

· Bernard Muir, senior associate athletics director, University of Notre Dame

· Bill Rowe, director of athletics, Southwest Missouri State University

· Bob Todd, head baseball coach, The Ohio State University

· Kevin Weiberg, commissioner, Big 12 Conference

Potential Division I Baseball Playing and Practice Season Key Dates, 2007-14

	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Start of Practice	Feb 1	Feb 1	Feb 1	Feb 1	Feb 1	Feb 1	Feb 1	Feb 1
Start of Competition	Mar 1	Feb 29	Feb 27	Feb 26	Feb 25	Mar 1	Mar 1	Feb 28
Championship Selections	June 4	June 2	June 1	June 7	June 6	June 4	June 3	June 2
Regionals	June 8-11	June 6-9	June 5-8	June 11-14	June 10-13	June 8-11	June 7-10	June 6-9
Super Regionals	June 15-17	June 13-15	June 12-14	June 18-20	June 17-19	June 15-17	June 14-16	June 13-15
Men’s College World Series	June 22- July 2	June 20-30	June 19-29	June 25- July 5	June 24- July 4	June 22- July 2	June 21- July 1	June 20-30