NEWS STORY: NCAA to reconsider its rule on Sunday championship games

c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ After coming just one vote short of getting a controversial new rule suspended, officials at two faith-based universities say they are pleased the National Collegiate Athletic Association must still reconsider its decision to eliminate the regulation accommodating schools opposed to playing championship games on Sundays. The association’s Division […]

c. 1998 Religion News Service

UNDATED _ After coming just one vote short of getting a controversial new rule suspended, officials at two faith-based universities say they are pleased the National Collegiate Athletic Association must still reconsider its decision to eliminate the regulation accommodating schools opposed to playing championship games on Sundays.

The association’s Division I schools _ including Southern Baptist-related Campbell University in North Carolina and Brigham Young University in Utah _ had until Monday (July 6) to request an override of the April 22 decision ending the Sunday accommodation rule made by the division’s board of directors.


If 100 requests had been received by that day, the decision to end the rule would have been suspended and the more than 300 members of Division I, which includes the largest colleges and universities, would have considered the matter themselves at the next NCAA annual convention in January 1999. “We actually got 103 but four of them were past the 5 o’clock Central (Daylight Time) deadline,”said Steve Mallonee, director of membership services at NCAA headquarters in Overland Park, Kan.”We ended up with 99.” Because more than 30 requests were received by the deadline, however, the board still must reconsider the action.

Representatives of the two schools who urged their colleagues at other institutions to seek an override were thrilled they received so much support and said they did not regret coming close to a suspension without getting it.”We are not disappointed,”said Tom Collins, the athletics director of Campbell University, in a statement.”Just the opposite! … I think that the support we have received shows that a variety of different institutions across the country respect the commitment that BYU and Campbell have for our institutional mission.” The Buies Creek, N.C., school, and Brigham Young University, a Provo, Utah, school operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have been ardent opponents of the NCAA decision to end the Sunday accommodation rule.

BYU President Merrill J. Bateman also issued a statement voicing gratitude for the support from a range of schools, including the Citadel, Stanford University and Oral Roberts University.”By allowing flexibility, the NCAA has recognized that colleges and universities should not have to sacrifice athletic opportunities in order to maintain their religious beliefs,”said Bateman.”Obviously, by the support we have received, many fine schools still agree with that principle.” According to NCAA regulations, the board must now reconsider its decision at its Aug. 11 meeting. If board members decide to maintain their stance, the active membership of Division I will vote on the issue at the annual meeting.”We don’t know whether the board is going to change its mind or not,”said Mallonee.”I got to believe it’s not going to be lost upon them the significant number of schools that disagreed with their action. What they do, I’m not going to try to speculate.” Mallonee said the upcoming reconsideration by the board marks the”first successful override”under a new structure the NCAA has had since August 1997. In the last year, there have been 80 proposals relating to by-laws, recruiting, eligibility and financial aid.

Mallonee said in the past the board’s decision to eliminate the accommodation rule was motivated in part by a feeling it was not”sensitive to those whose Sabbath is not on Sundays.” Stan Cole, sports information director for Campbell University, said the schools supporting the override ranged from those with past or present faith affiliations to secular institutions. But he believes his school and BYU are the only two with hard and fast rules about not playing on Sunday.”We’re the only two _ no ifs, ands or buts, any time any place, do we play on Sunday,”he said.

Cole said the two schools are not trying to get other institutions to change their policies concerning Sunday play, but rather, would like to be accommodated as they have been for more than three decades.”We’re just trying to get them to continue a long-standing policy upwards of 35 years that they’ve had in place,”he said.”It’s worked fine.” Mallonee said the board’s reconsideration will occur before any championships are scheduled. Cole said his particular school would not be in the running for championships until at least January.

Bateman said past accommodations of schools objecting to Sunday championship play have been rare.”But they have occurred, and the NCAA, out of its respect for religious freedom, has allowed these changes,”he stated.

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