Evening star., 1955-01-06
Offers Program
For National,
[ReqionaI "
Pressure of State
legislatures Forces
Step. crisler Says
: \ ne Assoeiafsd pFsss

ANA4 " - - NAAtr ~ ANAAs 8aHa5 = $50 $50
Ten Conference today made q
definite threat to bolt from the
NCAA football television pro-
gram unless there Is q change
from the 1854 style.
Fritz Crisler. Michigan ath-
letic director, speaking for the
Big Ten. offered an alternate
proposal which he called q ma
tional-regional control plan.
I'VE think our plan is a good
one" he said. "but that doesn't
mean we won't support any other
plan which would come reason
ably close to suiting us. But we
definitely win not support last
years plan.
IF something similar to the
1864 plan is brought down." he
added, I'VE feel it is our right to
reject It and. In conscience, feel
we have the right to abstain
from participating. I very seri-
ously doubt whether we could
hold the line and not partici-
pate In television soneswhere. :"
I Cites State Pressure.
Crisler went on to explain that
there has been a lot of pressure
from State Legislatures on the
Big Ten schools to televise their
own football games and that
they would be forced to adopt
controls In the conference.
"This feeling just doesn't rep
resent the Big Ten committee, .
Crisler said, Hbut it also repre-
sents the feeling Of all the ath-
letic directors, the faculty repre-
sentatives and the institutions.
It is not q hasty decision =
Crisler. FIRST to take the floor
In q round-table discussion at
the NCAA convention, empha-
sized that State Legislatures reg
ulating the Big Ten schools have
passed "a lot Of bills" to force
the Big Ten to have regional TV.
80 far we've been able to
stave them or" he said, "but !
don't know how much longer we
can do so.
One Of Six Plans.
The Big Ten acknowledgement
control plan Is Just one OF six to
be discussed today. At the end
OF discussions, q straw vote will
be taken as q guide for the new
TV committee. The results, how
ever. win not be made public for
several months,
However, the Rev. Edward ]:
Joyce, vice president Of Notre
Dame, asked that the result Of
the straw vote be announced to-
morrow so that a definite de-
cision can be reached soon.
Harvey Cassill Of the Univer-
sity Of Washington, head Of the
outgoing TV Committee. said it
had not been planned to an
nounce the vote as the result was
intended as q guide for the new
TV Committee 80 be appointed
tomorrow.
The six alternative proposals
to be suggested by the outgoing
TV Committee and ideals ad-
vanced by others boils down to
a contest between another ma
tional "game-of- f-the-week" pro-
gram, with slight variations, and
q series Of regional, or geogra-
phically distributed telecasts.
And from what one Is able to
learn from informed sources. It
looks like the national card,
backed by the numerically power
full 1Ol- member Eastern College
Athletic Conference, win win out
over the regional hackers.
Bell Accuses NFL.
A blast at the National Foot
bali League for invading "col-
legiate territory" with their Sat
nrday night telecasts was touched
on yesterday by Matty Bell OF
Southern Methodist at q round-
table meeting.
Reading q report prepared by
. special NCAA committee, Bell
said 1t was completely unthink-
ing and selfish for the profess
sionals TO black out thsir own
games but to telecast their Sat-
urday night games into collegi-
ate territory"
Bell said the NFL was dis
courteous" In refusing to ap-
point q committee to meet with
an NCAA committee to discuss
the subject.
At the time the NILS re-
fusal to meet with an NCAA
committee. Bert Bell, NIL COM
missioner. said such . meeting
tsee NCAA. Page C-3.)