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Well, that was not on my bingo card. Mark Emmert has been the president for 12 years, and come June, it'll be Governor Charlie Baker, the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. What a world.
As Baker steps in, Mark Emmert exits. Emmert served as the NCAA’s president for 12 years. He will remain with the NCAA in an advisor capacity until June of 2023. The decision to move away from Emmert was announced last April as a mutual decision between he and the organization.
Now my tinfoil hat is back on, because why would one of the nations most popular and successful governors not seek re-election in a pivotal race of parties holding over state leads? He's a republican in a deep blue state, and he decided to hang up his political hat. Interestinggggg. Was this in the works for months? Emmett announced last April that he and the NCAA decided on a mutual step down. It makes you think.
Funny enough, the organization that was leading the search party for the next President gave a call to Red Sox CEO, Sam Kennedy. In the conversation they were talking about some characteristics of an ideal candidate. The executive would need to have the following.
Passion for higher education
Ran a business as a CEO
Was in government
Was a student athlete (and could dunk a basketball)
Kennedy had one name in mind.
Photo: Ivy League
The NCAA has been in hot water, and honestly, change is good. Get a guy who isn't corrupt and brainwashed to make collegiate sports better. According to Morning Consult, Charlie Baker was America's most popular governor with a 74% approval rating. I think it's an awesome play.
So besides the top Massachusetts schools making the Final Four, what should Baker do to make the NCAA great again? Based of his popular policies, here is what I have in mind.
Massachusetts Policy: Signed sports betting in Massachusetts into law. (August 2022)
Proposed NCAA Policy: Normalize sports betting in collegiate sports
Last year, the American Gaming Association that over 45 million American's wagered $3.1 billion on the March Madness tournament. The schools may receive cuts from this, but the NCAA sure isn't.
The fact that billions are going into the tournament, can we at least get some player props and better lines during the regular season?
Governor Baker helped lead efforts to reform and modernize state government, turn a billion-dollar deficit into a surplus, create a half million jobs, and enact an ambitious education reform agenda. If he uses these skills to turn college basketball into the nations leading sports gambling promoter, then it becomes a win-win for a lot of parties.
Listen, I totally understand not wanting to cross the lines of church and state. Refs and students could throw games, but if NFL stadiums are having official sportsbooks and sponsorships, so should the NCAA. It also promotes positive gambling, rather than off-shore bookies, which is the key demographic for college students and degenerate fans.
Massachusetts Policy: Under Governor Baker's leadership, Massachusetts’ structural budget deficit has been eliminated without raising taxes on the people of Massachusetts and the Commonwealth’s Stabilization Fund has grown to its highest level ever by more than a billion dollars.
Proposed NCAA Policy: Better NIL Standards - Allow students to profit from university funds.
According to the NCAA, College sports brought in almost $19 billion in revenue in 2019. NIL is great for athletes, and it's an awesome opportunity for induvial players
But the school should be kicking back some dollars as well. The degree is worth something, yes, but all of those jersey and ticket sales? You're telling me that their isn't any revenue to distribute?
Doubling down on the notion, any former athlete who was sanctioned because of accepting forms of payments should be wiped clean from the record book. Reggie Bush deserves his Heisman back, end of story.
Massachusetts Policy: Governor Baker helped lead efforts to reform and modernize state government, turn a billion-dollar deficit into a surplus, create a half million jobs, and enact an ambitious education reform agenda.
Proposed NCAA Policy: Create more jobs in the NCAA, specifically for creating video games
You want to win day one of the job? Get on the phone with EA, hire hundreds of developers, and get working on some video games. I want NCAA Football back, I need a College Hoops game, I would kill for a baseball dynasty game that led to the pros. This would be a major development, an easy way to get praise, and also create another form of revenue for the athletes.