Mark Cuban wants to dump BCS system for playoff and is willing to pay for it

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has seen enough of the Bowl Championship series and he has dived into the debate, claiming that he would like to obliterate the current system and replace it with a playoff system that he is willing to personally help pay for.
"(The BCS is) an inefficient business where there's obviously a better way of doing it," Cuban said in an interview with ESPNDallas.com. "The only thing that's kept them from doing it is a lack of capital, which I can deal with."
The controversial and outspoken Cuban failed in his attempts to purchase the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers in recent years, admits that he is "actively interested but in the exploratory stage" of forging a new playoff system for NCAA Division I college football.
"The more I think about it, the more sense it makes as opposed to buying a baseball team," said Cuban. "You can do something the whole country wants done."
According to the ESPN report, Cuban has been in contact with two athletic directors from BCS conferences who want a change in the postseason format.
Cuban said he was going to speak with several school's presidents as well as state senators to determine if the idea is worth pursuing.
Clearly, Cuban doesn't mind opening his checkbook to figure out a way to get a playoff system.
"Put $500 million in the bank and go to all the schools and pay them money as an option," Cuban said. "Say, 'Look, I'm going to give you X amount every five years. In exchange, you say if you're picked for the playoff system, you'll go.'"
Cuban proposed a 12-or-16 team playoff in which the higher seeds get home-field advantage, claiming this method will be more profitable.

However, Bowl Championship Series executive director Bill Hancock doubts "financial inducements," such as the one the Dallas Mavericks' outspoken owner is considering, will lead to a major college football playoff.
Cuban told reporters before the Mavs' game Wednesday night that he was "actively interested but in the exploratory stage" of trying to bankroll a 12- or 16-team playoff to replace the often-criticized BCS.
He thinks about $500 million might do the trick.
Cuban, who has made unsuccessful attempts to buy the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers in recent years, said he's spoken to two athletic directors from conferences with automatic BCS bids who were enthusiastic about his idea. He intends to contact several school presidents and state senators to determine whether the idea is worth pursuing.
"Put $500 million in the bank and go to all the schools and pay them money as an option," Cuban was quoted by ESPNDallas.com. "Say, 'Look, I'm going to give you X amount every five years. In exchange, you say if you're picked for the playoff system, you'll go."
The BCS, using polls and computer rankings, matches the top two teams in the country after the regular season in a national title game. No. 1 Auburn and No. 2 Oregon meet on Jan. 10 in Glendale, Ariz.
The BCS is wildly unpopular among fans, but the leadership of the six most powerful conferences -- the Big Ten, Big East, Big 12, ACC, SEC and Pac-10 -- support it and the bowl system, making any radical changes in the near future highly unlikely.
"It speaks to the power and popularity of college football that a successful businessman and innovator like Mark Cuban would have this level of interest in investing in college football," Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott said in an e-mail.
"But the fact is that college football has never been more popular in its current format, and it's a mistake to assume the impediment to a playoff is money. We could get a lot more money tomorrow from lots of folks by moving to an expansive playoff; this is about a broader set of priorities benefiting schools and student-athletes."
Cuban suggested trying to persuade major donors to college athletic programs to cut off financial support until their presidents approve a playoff system. He said he thinks it would take about three or four years of planning to get a playoff up and running.
He called the BCS "an inefficient business where there's obviously a better way."
"The only thing that's kept them from doing it is a lack of capital," Cuban said, "which I can deal with."
Hancock, of course, disagrees.
"College football is so popular today," he said, "because we have a great regular season and because we have an important bowl tradition that provides a meaningful experience for the students and fans -- all of which would be at risk if this concept were implemented."
Find out what else Cuban had to say about changing the BCS system, here additional comments from Hancock on Cuban's proposal and receive the perspective of ESPN college football analysts Jessie Palmer and Ed Cunningham. Also receive my take on the subject. It's all in the Tuesday edition of the McShan Sports Beat Report.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• College Football
• Dallas Mavericks
• Mark Cuban
• BCS
• playoff system
• Bill Hancock
• Dan Patrick Show

[showem88]

Great vid! I really liked this video!

[McShan8150]

@showem88 Thanks for watching I'm glad you enjoyed the video. We'll see if this proposal can gain any sea legs and whether Mark Cuban can close the deal.

[McShan8150]

@showem88 Thanks for watching I'm glad you enjoyed the video. We'll see if this proposal can gain any sea legs and whether Mark Cuban can close the deal.

[ROLLTIDEROLL4LIFE]

I ses some type of playoff system comming eventually, there's just too many good teams getting left out of big games now, it isn't like it was in the 60's and 70's!

Of course Alabama and the SEC will continue to dominate but there won't be anyone whining that they didn't get a chance!

ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!

[McShan8150]

@ROLLTIDEROLL4LIFE In some manner the BCS system is in need of a facelift. Now where or not Mark Cuban has enough sway to convince all interested parties to come to his side of ledger that remains to be seen.

[TNTFrakTure101]

if you ask me Mark Cuban needs to worry more about gettin a younger PG and quit complaining about college football

[McShan8150]

@TNTFrakTure101 Well there is no doubt he likes to put his hand into alot of different things the Mavericks are having another good year the question will be as it always seems to with Dallas is the playoffs and how they stack with elite in the Western Conference.

[ROLLTIDEROLL4LIFE]

@McShan8150

ROLL TIDE!

[ROLLTIDEROLL4LIFE]

@McShan8150

The idea of a playoff system for college football is nothing new, they've been talking about it since at least the 70's, I know I was!

It's not the first time a big shot supported the idea either, it's all a matter of timing, so with the clout of Mark Cuban maybe the time is right, but I don't think so.

[NoGuff]

Your personal sports report intro is longer than any network sports show.