Should College Football Leave the NCAA??
Okay, let me first say this. This will never happen. I know it won't happen. I know all the reasons it won't/can't happen. I think I know all the reasons as well as anyone else on here. I'm just asking everyone to suppose this...
What if college football stopped being a part of the NCAA??
Would it be better for college football if it did?? Would it be better for all of college sports if it did??
Most (nearly all) of the rules and legislation that the NCAA has is there because of football. I think this year's compliance manual was close to 500 pages. Had it not been for football, it would have probably been around 100 pages. Every sport has to follow all these rules not because of their own sports, but because of football.
Nearly all of conference realignment has happened because of football. Football is the least in common with all the other college sports. In EVERY ASPECT. The size of the roster, the length of the schedule, the support staff that is required, the interest and attendance levels, how the team travels, the cost of the equipment, and so on. Literally EVERYTHING about football is COMPLETELY different. Both football and men's basketball are revenue sports, but that is where the similarities end. Basketball has more in common with the rifle team than it does the football team. Yet, the reason all these rules exist and all these all sports conferences exist is because of the one sport that is the least like all the rest.
Not all college sports are NCAA sports. There is collegiate rugby, and it's actually growing in popularity. They have no interest in joining the NCAA, nor should they. They are governed by either National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) or USA Rugby. Having a governing body that is concerned about their sport, and ONLY their sport, seems to serve them well. This would not be the case if they joined the NCAA. They'd suddenly have all these other eligibility rules to follow. Same with competitive cheer and dance. It's not part of the NCAA either, and it's doing just fine. I don't know that much about college boxing, but I know it exists, and it's not part of the NCAA, and is instead governed by the NCBA (National College Boxing Association) and again has no interest or need to join the NCAA.
Football is already sort of on its own anyway. The bowls have never been managed by the NCAA. The National Champion at the FBS level is not actually an NCAA Championship. They don't get an NCAA trophy and the NCAA does not manage it at all the way they do all the other championships at all the other divisions. So...would it really be THAT much of a difference if they left the NCAA since they sort of already have anyway??
So...should FOOTBALL not be a part of the NCAA?? Would football be better off if it were on its own?? They can have their own conferences, their own TV deals, their own schedules, and their own rules. Rutgers v USC being in the same conference for softball and women's soccer seems kind of insane, but for football it actually isn't all that insane.
Would basketball and all the other sports also be better off if football were on its own?? I kinda think they would.
So...how about the NCFA?? Let's have the National College Football Association formed, and let them take football away from us, and let's get back to sensible conferences, schedules, rules, championships, and eligibility for all the other sports!! Who's with me!!??
