The SEC could possibly be mandating damage reviews quickly if current discussions on the matter result in a brand new rule. It actually looks as if that’s the place issues are headed.
Although league commissioner Greg Sankey advised reporters Monday on the SEC Spring Conferences no resolution has been made, the measure has the assist of not less than a couple of coaches and athletic administrators. The legalization and proliferation of sports activities betting in all fairness on the middle of the potential change.
“If it helps with playing then I’m all for it,” Georgia coach Kirby Good mentioned, by way of USA TODAY Sports activities. “If it’s geared to getting data on the market that persons are making an attempt to get from our student-athletes and it protects them, I’m actually for that.”
It’s a smart consideration for the SEC, although it’s one which shouldn’t be obligatory on a convention stage. The NCAA ought to have mandated damage reviews for all conferences a very long time in the past.
SEC commish Greg Sankey mentioned league will talk about participant availability reviews, reminiscent of damage reviews, at SEC spring conferences, however doesn’t anticipate a choice this week
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) Could 27, 2024
Sports activities betting is now authorized in additional than half the U.S., with 38 states and Washington, D.C. permitting betting both on-line or in-person, if not each. That causes apparent issues on the school stage, which we’ve seen manifested in a number of alternative ways already.
To the NCAA’s credit score, it has applied some modifications in response to the brand new panorama, together with up to date penalties that strike a greater steadiness than earlier stricter guidelines towards gamers who guess on sports activities. NCAA president Charlie Baker additionally mentioned he’s working with states to attempt to ban school prop betting.
However not sufficient has been accomplished to guard athletes.
Harm reviews seem to be one of many extra doable issues to assist with that. Not solely would they assist stop nefarious exercise by unhealthy actors on the crew aspect, they’d give athletes and staffers a small protect from outsiders in search of info to assist with their bets.
But, the NCAA doesn’t require them. In 2023, the Massive Ten was the one energy 5 convention to require damage reviews for soccer. So, even when the SEC turns into the second convention, there’s nonetheless extra work to be accomplished.
There’s simply an excessive amount of cash flowing round for peole to be in the dead of night about issues so simple as whether or not a participant is offered or not — which was an enormous drawback with an Air Drive sport final season. The SEC is aware of this, which is why the convention is contemplating motion.
“If you begin to see the variety of {dollars} being guess on legalized sports activities playing round school sports activities, not simply soccer, however males’s and ladies’s basketball, volleyball and baseball and softball, all these catch your consideration,” Sankey mentioned. “We’ve got to be considerate about how info is managed.”
Now, it’s time for the NCAA to acknowledge this and make damage reviews commonplace throughout all school sports activities.
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