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Iowa coach Ferentz says the integrity of the game cannot be compromised as betting probe unfolds (apnews.com)

submitted 2 years ago by wjrii@kbin.social to c/cfb@lemmy.world

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I'm completely sure it was only athletes in Iowa who were gambling. So sure in fact, that I don't think any other state needs to investigate at all, nosireebob.

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[–] dishpanman@lemmy.ca 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I mean I get it that he is wondering why Iowa is the only one singled out, but his statement regarding the "integrity of the game" just irks me. That integrity left when TV contracts became more important than anything for these schools and conferences. And those TV contracts are now being paid for by gambling ads. The students who don't see a dime from the $60 million a year TV deal Iowa pulls in also see the ads and get sucked into gambling. But the highest paid employee in the state of Iowa at $5 million a year doesn't want to compromise the integrity of the the game. Ok.

[–] wjrii@kbin.social 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Yup. There are a lot of concerns here, but the millionaire coaches and high-status administrators clutching their pearls undercuts the message.

Tangentially, that is why I think that as long as the "brand" of college football is managed carefully and pays the right amount of lip service to the traditions of the sport (e.g. making sure players have access to the university, playing on campus, not signing players with previous pro experience) , further movement in the direction of professionalization is not going to kill CFB as a spectator sport. There is already no sport that's more hypocritical in its entire structure.