-
Formation of the NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the governing body in college athletics. With the creation of the NCAA, standards to remain athletically eligible were established, such as not accepting contracts from professional teams or accepting a salary for participating in athletics. -
Walter Byers named first head of NCAA
Walter Byers was named the first executive director of the NCAA in 1951, and made notable decisions including assuming control of live television of football games and assuming leadership of the bowl games. The advent of televising football games introduced a new stream of revenue into college athletics. -
Formation of Division 1, 2, and 3
In 1973, college athletics was split into three divisions, with Division 1 and Division 2 allowed to offer full athletic scholarships, allowing college athletes to play sports and earn a degree for free for the first time. -
Women's athletics introduced
Championships were introduced for women in college sports in 1980, and were expanded to 19 sports in 1981-82. -
SMU death penalty
Southern Methodist University was handed the "death penalty" in 1987 and barred from playing college football that year as a result of slush fund payments to high school athletes to play at the school. SMU was banned from home games in 1988 and lost 55 scholarships over four years as well. -
Michigan basketball
Allegations and later evidence revealed that multiple basketball players from the University of Michgian, including star Chris Webber, accepted over $816,000 in loans from booster Ed Martin. These allegations resulted in Michigian vacating it's wins and success from the '92 and '93 season. -
"Free Shoes University" scandal
The nickname for the scandal given by rival Florida coach Steve Spurrier stems from agents giving Florida State players $6,000 worth of shoes. -
Miami Pell Grant scandal
A Miami academic advisor fraudulently filled out Pell Grants to over 50 Miami football players and 80 athletes total, involving over $220,000 and revealing more claims of $400,000 in impermissible payments to players. -
Jeremy Bloom
Jeremy Bloom was a receiver for the University of Colorado and also an Olympic-caliber skiier. In 2004, the NCAA ruled Bloom ineligible from playing football at Colorado due to the endorsement benefits he received while skiing. -
Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush was the star running back of USC's title-winning teams and the winner of the 2005 Heisman trophy, but the NCAA found him guilty of receiving impermissible benefits of money and other amenities, including an L.A. beach house for his family. -
AJ Green jersey sale
University of Georgia star receiver AJ Green sold his Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000 for "extra cash" during a spring break trip, earning him a four-game suspension. -
Ohio State tattoo scandal
Six Ohio State football players were caught trading and selling championship memoribilia for tattoos and cash to a purported drug dealer and were subsequently suspended. Head coach Jim Tressel resigned as a result of the scandal. -
Ed O'Bannon lawsuit
Former UCLA guard Ed O'Bannon is suing the NCAA for using his likeness in the EA sports video games without receiving payment. This case, expected to be ruled on in June 2014, could alter the landscape of college athletics forever and how athletes are compensated.
