Safe for Athletics, But Not Students?

D3Playbook MAY 29, 2020 | written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III Our goal is to keep you - the influencers in DIII athletics - apprised of what's happening around Division III - the games, polls, news, happenings, awards, calendar of events, and much more. We hope you enjoy d3Playbook and that you'll share this with your friends, colleagues and co-workers.   >> Good Friday Morning! >> Today's Word Count: 782. Not wasting your time. Smart, concise. An informative read that's just about 3 1/2 minutes. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. We appreciate your kind words of support. Please recommend us to a friend or co-worker. Or share with your staff and bring them up-to-speed on what's happening in DIII.   Subscribe to d3Playbook 1. Safe for Athletes, But Not Students? by Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times "The band room is silent. The biology labs are shuttered. The library is locked. But hey, football players, come on in! Classes are on laptops. Seminars are webinars. Graduation ceremonies are on Zoom. But hey, football players, you better show up! After two months of being closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite risks that still are keeping some entire cities shut down, giant universities everywhere have decided to crack open one of their doors. Not surprisingly, it is the door that leads to the money." >> Situational Awareness: "While the students are ordered to stay home, the athletes are being essentially ordered to go back to work? It’s not yet safe for the student body president, but it’s totally safe for the quarterback? It’s too risky to sit in a classroom, but cool to hang out in a weight room?" >> Reality Check: ”If you cancel the football season, the entire business model of most athletic departments would crumble,” said Paul Swangard, marketing consultant and longtime instructor of sports brand strategy at Oregon. “Everyone knew the issues that come with being so reliant on such a cash cow, but nobody had a scenario in which it goes away. So now everyone is trying to get it back.” >> The Big Picture: "According to a Washington University report commissioned by ESPN, each of the 65 Power-Five schools will lose an average of $62 million in football revenue if there is no season. That figure covers everything from tickets to television rights. That’s a lot of money being generated by essentially unpaid labor, and so it is not surprising that officials will say anything to get those kids back to work." >> They Said It: “A student-athlete is safer in an intercollegiate athletic enterprise’s offices, training rooms, than they are anywhere else.” - Mike Bohn, USC athletic director >> Shot: "Why subject athletes to risks that you wouldn’t demand of regular students? Either the campuses are open or they’re not. Either it’s safe for everyone or no one." >> Chaser: "Bottom line, when it comes to the frantic quest to restart the money machine that is football, the athletes don’t trust they will be afforded the same protection as the students. Neither do I. Neither should you." >> Go Deeper   2. Returning to Campus Join Dr. Brian Hainline and Andy Katz tonight at 7 p.m. EDT.   3.  A Note About Next Semester   The NCAA Student-Athlete COVID-19 Well-being Study was designed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student-athletes’ current physical and mental well-being. The survey was designed by NCAA Research in collaboration with the NCAA Sport Science Institute and the three national SAAC governing bodies. Over 37,000 student-athletes responded to the survey, spanning the three divisions, all sports and athletics conferences. A majority of participants reported experiencing high rates of mental distress since the outset of the pandemic. Over a third reported experiencing sleep difficulties, more than a quarter reported feeling sadness and a sense of loss, and 1 in 12 reported feeling so depressed it has been difficult to function, “constantly” or “most every day.” While 80% reported knowing how to access a medical provider for physical health needs, 60% of men and 55% of women reported that they know how to access mental health support in their current location. >> Continue Reading     SPONSORED MESSAGE Would you like to sponsor this newsletter? Would you like to advertise an open position in your department for a head coach or administrator? Contact d3playbook@gmail.com to get your job opening in front of nearly 1,000 decision-makers in small-college athletics.   4.  Fall Plans From the Chronicle of Higher Education, here’s a complete alphabetical list of Division III colleges that have either disclosed their plans, mentioned them in news reports, or set a deadline for deciding. Allegheny - Planning for in-person Massachusetts Boston - Waiting to decide Southwestern - Proposing a hybrid model as of May 28, 4:33 p.m. EDT   5.  The List The 1995 final coaches poll for Division III women's soccer. 1. TCNJ 2. William Smith 3. Trinity (TX) 4. Binghamton 5. Stockton 6. UC San Diego 7. Bowdoin 8. Methodist 9. Amherst 10. Gustavus Adolphus 11. Heidelberg 12. Wis.-Stevens Point 13. Randolph-Macon 14. Plattsburgh St. 15. Williams 16. Cal Lutheran 17. Emory 18. Macalester 19. Rochester (NY) 20. Washington U. 21. Plymouth St. 22. Mary Washington 23. Brockport 24. Wm. Paterson 25. Saint Mary’s (MN) 26. Wittenberg   6. Comings and Goings   Stuart Robinson named assistant vice president and director of athletics at New York University. St. Scholastica departs the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association.   7.  1 Mask Thing   Have a great weekend. Subscribe to d3Playbook

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The Tipping Point?

D3Playbook MAY 28, 2020 | written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III Our goal is to keep you - the influencers in DIII athletics - apprised of what's happening around Division III - the games, polls, news, happenings, awards, calendar of events, and much more. We hope you enjoy d3Playbook and that you'll share this with your friends, colleagues and co-workers. >> Good Thursday Morning!   >> On this date in 1957, National League owners gave permission for the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants to move to Los Angeles and San Francisco. I miss baseball. >> Today's Word Count: 1,129. Brief, concise. Easy to digest.  >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Please recommend us to a friend or co-worker. Or share with your staff and bring them up-to-speed on what's happening in DIII.   Subscribe to d3Playbook 1.  The Tipping Point?   by Dennis Dodds, CBSSports.com   "University of Utah economist Ted Tatos was asked to consider whether the coronavirus could impact a second consecutive NCAA Tournament. While schools are eagerly anticipating a return of college football, let's not forget how this historic moment in time began in the college sports world. Despite the pandemic, the NCAA's foundation has already been in question. But during these uncertain times, the association may be one more calamitous event away from slipping off a cliff of relevancy. "If there's no NCAA Tournament next year," Tatos said. "… I think then there has to be a breakaway from this model." To put it more plainly, a separation of the Power Five conferences from the NCAA has long been possible. Those 65 schools, including independent Notre Dame, already exist as separate entities -- financially, competitively and even corporately. But with the coronavirus ratcheting up the stakes, a tipping point may be at hand." >> Situational Awareness: "Basketball would be the tipping point here because it is the financial backbone of the NCAA. College athletics is experiencing what it's like to be without March Madness for one year." >> The Bottom Line: "A Washington University study commissioned by ESPN stated, if the football season were canceled, the Power Five could lose $4 billion." >> What They're Saying: "It will be a critical year for college athletics as a whole. But I think we are starting to see how professional this enterprise is, how divorced it is from any type of education. Schools are starting to make decisions on financial points, [saying], 'This is amateur sports?" - Tatos >> Of Note: "(The) forced modernization of college athletics may force the NCAA to either remake itself or be left behind." >> Be Smart: "Don't necessarily think of those 65 (Power Five) schools would be completely alone. They'd most likely have to play somebody. Think about a group of, say, the top 90 or 100 schools to enhance scheduling and a television contract." >> Worth Your Time   2. St. Scholastica Joins MIAC "The College of St. Scholastica has been accepted as a new member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), the conference announced today. The Saints will begin MIAC regular-season competition during the 2021-22 academic year. The addition of St. Scholastica to the MIAC will coincide with Macalester College's return to the conference in football and the league's transition to a 10-team, two-division model for the sport. Located in Duluth, Minn., The College of St. Scholastica was founded in 1912. It has been a full member of the NCAA Division III Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) since 1995 and the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) since 2013, claiming 210 regular-season conference championships and 106 postseason titles across 18 sports during that time. Saints teams have reached the NCAA Division III Tournament 57 times and CSS has qualified 66 individuals for NCAA Championship participation.  St. Scholastica will become the MIAC's 13th full member institution in 2021-22. It will compete in 20 MIAC-sponsored sports, including baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's golf, men's and women's ice hockey, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, and volleyball. >> Quotable: "We are delighted to join our Minnesota private college peers in the MIAC," said St. Scholastica President Barbara McDonald. "This is a very good fit with our institutional values, and with the aspirations of Saints coaches, student-athletes, and fans." >> What's Next: "With St. Scholastica and Macalester in the fold, the MIAC will transition to a two-division model for football beginning in 2021. The division names will stem from two of the MIAC's primary colors, Northwoods Green and Skyline Silver. The Northwoods Division will consist of Carleton College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint John's University, St. Olaf College, and The College of St. Scholastica. The Skyline Division will consist of Augsburg University, Bethel University, Concordia College, Hamline University, and Macalester College." >> Keep Reading   3. Career in Sports Forum   Close to 400 NCAA student-athletes will have the opportunity to get career guidance and network with athletics administrators and sports industry experts virtually May 27-29 at the 2020 NCAA Career in Sports Forum. The three-day forum prepares junior and senior student-athletes for a career after graduation. The forum helps student-athletes learn more about themselves as leaders by exposing them to projects that require critical thinking as well as practical experiences that will strengthen their personal and professional skills and competencies. Through their participation, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of roles within the athletics industry and how their personal and professional interests align with potential career paths. Forum sessions include how student-athletes can become more aware of their inner strengths, how to develop a career plan, practical approaches to the job search, how to navigate as a young professional in the athletics industry, the role of an athletics administrator and head coach, and other motivational and key messaging from speakers. The athletes also will have opportunities to engage in breakout sessions where they will engage in guided discussions to further curriculum understanding and build community with other student-athletes. A student-athlete task force also was created to identify and develop specific sessions where student-athletes expressed particular interest. >> Takeaway: "The ultimate goal is to have these individuals walk away more prepared to gain employment after college athletics,” said Lamarr Pottinger, associate director of NCAA leadership development. >> Read More   SPONSORED MESSAGE Would you like to sponsor this newsletter? Would you like to advertise an open position in your department for a head coach or administrator? Contact d3playbook@gmail.com to get your job opening in front of decision-makers in small-college athletics.   4.  A Look Back Twenty-five years ago ... the NCAA Division III men's soccer championship. 5.  Comings and Goings   John Williams named president at Transylvania. Scott Braid named head athletic trainer at Salem State. Stephanie Brunette named graduate assistant softball coach at Wisconsin Lutheran. Larry Curran stepped down as head swimming and diving coach at Gallaudet.   6.  1 Sports Zoom Thing   An empty stadium for a Bundesliga match in Germany yesterday. The league has used artificial crowd noise during television broadcasts. Photo: Fabian Bimmer/Pool/Reuters Japan may have the answer to the uncanny valley of empty sports stadiums: a "Remote Cheerer" app that delivers fan reactions in real-time, reports the Washington Post's Simon Denyer. The app lets soccer fans "choose a range of reactions — from cheer, chant, clap or shout to groan and boo — with a simple tap of their smartphones." "At one point during the system field test, I closed my eyes and it felt like the cheering fans were right there in the stadium with me," a stadium official said. - courtesy of Axios   Subscribe to d3Playbook

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Capital Growth

D3Playbook MAY 27, 2020 | written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III   Our goal is to keep you - the influencers in DIII athletics - apprised of what's happening around Division III - the games, polls, news, happenings, awards, calendar of events, and much more. We hope you enjoy D3Playbook and that you'll share this with your friends, colleagues and co-workers.   >> Good Wednesday morning!  >> Today's Word Count: 1,023. An easy morning read. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Please recommend us to a friend or co-worker. Or share with your staff and bring them up-to-speed on what's happening in DIII.   1.  Capital Growth   The Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) will expand to 11 member institutions as league officials announced on Tuesday (May 26) that six schools have accepted invitations to join the CAC and will become official members effective June 15, 2020. The CAC Board of Directors voted unanimously to offer full membership to six members of the American Collegiate Athletic Conference (ACAA), including: University of California-Santa Cruz, Finlandia University (Mich.), Mills College (Calif.), Mount Mary University (Wis.), Pine Manor College (Mass.) and Pratt Institute (N.Y.). The CAC will consist of 11 full-time members for the 2020-21 academic year. The Conference will reduce to eight in 21-22 when Southern Virginia University, St. Mary's College of Maryland and Pine Manor College depart. Christopher Newport University, University of Mary Washington and Salisbury University will remain with the Conference along with the incoming members from the ACAA. The conference is expected to be rebranded with a new name and logo over the coming months. The CAC conducts conference championships in 18 sports (eight men and ten women). Men's championships include cross country, soccer, basketball, indoor track and field, lacrosse, baseball, outdoor track and field, and tennis. Women's championships include cross country, field hockey, soccer, volleyball, basketball, indoor track and field, lacrosse, softball, outdoor track and field, and tennis. >> What They're Saying: "This is an exciting, new era for the Capital Athletic Conference. The addition of these six schools will provide excellent opportunities for both our institutions and our student-athletes to experience new venues and conference opponents," said Salisbury University Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation Dr. Gerry DiBartolo, Chair of the CAC Athletic Council. >> Of Note: "The Capital Athletic Conference will continue to conduct quality championship experiences for our student-athletes and institutions. Our student-athletes will be given the opportunity to travel to and compete against a diverse group of institutions across the nation." >> Yes, But: For the 2020-21 academic year in tournaments where six teams compete, the top four (4) CAC teams as determined by conference standings will qualify for the championship and then Massey Ratings will be used for seeding. Championship host sites will be pre-determined at the start of each year. >> Continue Reading   2.  NCAA's Financial Contingency "Before the COVID-19 public health crisis, no one anticipated the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship being canceled, but the Association was prepared for such an unlikely possibility. The NCAA’s long-standing contingency plan has evolved since its creation, but, for the most part, it’s always looked the same: robust insurance, leveraging financial reserves, reduction in Division I revenue distributions and NCAA operating budget cuts. The Association’s contingency plan was put into motion March 12, when the NCAA Board of Governors canceled all remaining 2020 winter and spring championships. Between losses from ticket sales and its multimedia agreement with CBS Sports and Turner, the NCAA is projected to lose more than $700 million in revenue from the cancellation of the 2020 Division I men’s basketball tournament. Since March 12, the plan has functioned exactly as it was intended." >> Quotable: “The remediation plan is working as designed. If the NCAA can get through next year without any major problems, we should be back to normal for our fiscal year beginning Sept. 1 of 2021. That’s pretty incredible for losing two-thirds of your revenue in one year,” said Kathleen McNeely, NCAA senior vice president and chief financial officer. >> Between the Lines: "For this year’s tournament, the Association held event cancellation insurance between multiple policies totaling $270 million, which includes loss of both ticket and media rights-related revenue. This amount was on the high end of this kind of coverage offered by insurance underwriters compared to cost, McNeely said." >> The Key Stat: "As the NCAA constitution guarantees, Division II and Division III still will receive their 4.37% and 3.18%, respectively, of the Association’s actual revenue. Division II projects to receive $13.9 million in revenue this fiscal year, $30 million less than originally budgeted, a nearly 70% drop. Similarly, Division III’s projected budget fell from $33 million to $10.7 million. Both divisions have their own reserves policies, however, to help weather the shortfall." >> Go Deeper 3.  The Sports Comeback Has Begun   Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios "There is now real momentum behind the return of American sports. The leagues have decided that games must go on — and that means learning to live with risk," the Wall Street Journal reports (subscription). Why it matters: While the pro leagues "are proceeding with caution, there has been more progress in the last 10 days than in the previous 10 weeks." "What their plans have in common is an acceptance that some players may be infected — and a belief that leagues should focus on limiting potential outbreaks." The NBA announced that it's in early discussions to resume its season in late July, with all games played at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Kendall Baker writes in his daily newsletter, Axios Sports. (Sign up here.)   Subscribe to d3Playbook SPONSORED MESSAGE   D3Playbook is looking for sponsors. NCAA Division III has a desirable demographic that can help your company thrive. Reach more than 700 influencers in NCAA Division III today. Contact d3playbook@gmail.com to get your company in front of decision-makers in small-college athletics.   4. Fall Plans From the Chronicle of Higher Education, here’s an alphabetical list of Division III colleges that have either disclosed their plans, mentioned them in news reports, or set a deadline for deciding.   Brevard - Planning for in-person Regis - Proposing a hybrid model Rowan - Considering a range of scenarios Wabash - Planning for in-person Western Connecticut - Considering a range of scenarios as of May 26, 5:12 p.m. EDT   5.  Comings and Goings   Tom Koller named officer in charge of intercollegiate athletics at Buffalo State. Alaina Woo named head women's basketball coach at Pomona-Pitzer. Brian Neal named head women's basketball coach at Wittenberg. Rashad Devoe named head men's lacrosse coach at Amherst. Rob Dahl named interim director of soccer at Southern Virginia. Dalton Tucker named assistant women's volleyball coach at Illinois College. Sean Dwyer named head Esports coach at Immaculata.   6.  1 Smile Thing      Subscribe to d3Playbook

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