Western Michigan University Athletic Director Kathy Beauregard discussed Bronco athletics and college sports in general.
Beauregard sat down with WMUK's Gordon Evans, Battle Creek Enquirer Sports Editor Bill Broderick and Kalamazoo Gazette Reporter David Drew. The interview covered a wide range of issues.
On the subject of the college football playoff, Beauregard says it's something that many schools, fans and alumni have wanted for a long time. She says the selection for the four-team playoff will be done by a committee, similar to the NCAA basketball tournament. Asked if the tournament is likely to be expanded soon, making it more likely for conferences like the MAC to get a team in, Beauregard says she doesn't think that's likely in the near future. But she says the next tier of bowls are more likely to include Mid-American Conference Schools.
The NCAA is considering a proposal that would give the so-called "Power Five" conferences more autonomy. Beauregard says it's part of an effort to get more benefits to student-athletes. She says that could include a stipend. She says it's also a restructuring of NCAA governance. But Beauregard says a final vote has not been taken yet on granting more power to those conferences.
Although some coaches have talked about the larger conferences only playing each other in football, Beauregard says major conferences need games against the so-called "mid-majors." She says teams in the playoff are determined in part based on strength of schedule. Beauregard says major conference teams are now less likely to play teams in the Football Championship Subdivision. She says the Broncos are hearing from other schools about scheduling future games. Western will play Michigan State (at Waldo Stadium) and Ohio State (in Columbus) next season.
The Mid-American Conference recently announced a 13-year contract extension with ESPN. Beauregard says it will put more games on ESPN's various channels. She says it does require the school to enhance its own television capability on campus. But Beauregard says the contract does allow a phase-in to make those improvements. She says television will determine the game times for football this season. Currently game times have not been set for most of the Broncos' home games.
Beauregard says a water main break at Lawson Ice Arena will not jeopardize the start of the home hockey season for Western Michigan University. She says luckily there was no damage to the locker rooms or other parts of the arena.
In the web version of the interview, Beauregard says she's confident that head coach P.J. Fleck will build Western Michigan University's football program into one that will win championships. She says it will take time to build a program "the right way."
As part of the discussion on television and scheduling, Beauregard acknowledged there will be a challenge in marketing a game against Northern Illinois on the day after Thanksgiving. She says the new television contract will mean more night games late in the season.
Beauregard says one of the major issues for college sports will be amateurism. She says this is one of the "transformational times" in college athletics. Beauregard says she's concerned that the large number of lawsuits and potential labor action by athletes could lead non-revenue sports to be cut at schools across the country. Western Michigan University has 16 varsity sports, which is the minimum number required to be an NCAA Division One school.
