The NFL And NCAA Need A Sports Gambling Wake Up Call

This hypocrisy has gone on long enough. Somebody has to let the NFL and NCAA know that their sports would not be living at the level they were if not for sports gambling. They are sort of like the kid in school that thinks he is popular because he is cool, when in reality it is only because he is driving a new, souped up, Mustang.

The NFL and NCAA have sent representatives to Delaware this week to warn the state of the potential consequences should they act out of line and legalize sports gambling. The governor of the state and his representatives saw right through the meetings.

"I don't know if it's retaliatory or just a bluff, but it strikes me as a little overreaching on their (NCAA) part," said Governor Jack Markell's Chief of Staff, Tom McGonigle. He was referring to the NCAA's threat to ban all playoff games in the state if they follow through with the legalization process.

The fact that both the NFL and NCAA do not understand that their popularity is only fueled by gambling is almost comical. The two most popular college sports are football and basketball. They are also, coincidentally, the two most gambled on sports in college athletics.

The NFL has annually around $100 million gambled on their main event, the Super Bowl. They claim to denounce gambling on their sport, yet they have spread games out throughout the week. Sports gamblers are demanding this because there simply is nothing worth betting for on Sunday and Thursday nights, so the NFL gave them their out.

The NFL in their opposition to the Delaware sports gambling proposal, pointed out that it would attract youngsters to gamble. That seems like a far reach considering the gambling age limit if the proposal was approved would be twenty one.

The NCAA brings up the point that any playoff games of an NCAA championship cannot be played under NCAA rules. When state officials questioned the annual Las Vegas Bowl game, NCAA spokeswoman Stacey Osburn replied that the Las Vegas Bowl is not an NCAA event.

The game is played every year between two college football teams that are a part of the NCAA. That would seem to make it an NCAA event, but that is the type of exceptions that are made when the game in question brings the NCAA revenue.

Eventually, that kid in school gets his heart broken by some friend who tells him the only reason he is popular is because of his car. Maybe someone should should point out to the NFL and NCAA that the car they are driving can easily disappear if they keep lying to the people paying for it.

March 27, 2009
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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