Court blanks NCAA TV rights
DENVER (AP) - The 10th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
on Thursday upheld a lower
court ruling th£t broke the
NCAA’s exclusive control of
football television rights and
cleared the way for colleges to
negotiate their own television
contracts.
The appeals court, in its 2-1
vote, upheld the decision of
U.S. District Judge Juan
Burciaga in Oklahoma and
September which gave the
universities of Oklahoma and
Georgia the right to negotiate
their own television deals.
The appellate judges also
remanded the case to the
lower court for further con
sideration of the injunction
which the National Collegiate
Athletic Association said was
too broad.
There was initial confusion
as to whether Thursday’s rul
ing upheld the portion of Bur
ciaga's decision which voided
existing NCAA contracts with
ABC, CBS and Turner Broad
casting Systems, Inc. which
total more than $281 million.
The contracts with the two ma
jor networks have three years
to run.
The ruling “has shown that
the NCAA cannot seize an in
stitution’s rights’’ said
Charles Neinas, executive
director of the College Foot
ball Association, which earlier
had challenged the NCAA’s
ironclad control over televi
sion rights.
Neinas, who cancelled a
series of meetings in Arizona
and flew back to his office in
Boulder, Colo., when he heard
of the appeals court ruling,
said it was not too late for the
CFA to put together a televi
Special meet
slated today
Alberto Salazar will join
Special Olympian Shawn
Lewis in carrying the Olympic
torch to kick off the annual
Oregon Special Olympics
state track and field meet
which runs today and tomor
row at Hayward Field.
Opening Ceremonies begin
at 6 p.m. with Portland
Trailblazer coach Jack Ram
say headlining the event.
Almost 2,000 competitors
from around the state are ex
pected to participate in this
year’s meet.
Volunteers are needed to
assist with wheelchair
events and to encourage the
athletes. Anyone wishing to
volunteer should report to the
west grandstand at Hayward
Field to receive an assignment
at 12:30 p.m today and 7:30
a.m. Saturday.
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sion deal for the 1983 season.
The CFA’s 60 members in
clude teams in all major foot
ball conferences, except the
Big Ten and Pac-10, and
independents.
Burciaga's decision last fall
held that the NCAA's televi
sion contracts with major
television networks violate
federal antitrust laws and
allowed Oklahoma and
Georgia to negotiate their own
television contracts. His order
was stayed by the appeals
court.
The two schools filed the
suit, contending that that they
should be free to negotiate in
dividual contracts with televi
sion stations or networks.
The NCAA argued that its
television policy giving it ex
clusive rights to college foot
ball telecasts does not fit the
definition of an illegal
monopoly.
NCAA spokesman Dave
Cawood said the association
would have no comment on
the appeals court decision un
til NCAA officials respond.
Repeating...due to
a computer foul-up,
finals week will be
postponed!
© 1983 Bee' Brewed by Miller Brewing Co , Milwaukee. Wl
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