Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/204831
Under the Dome Five Questions With … BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock Bill Hancock is the postseason czar of college sports. The former director of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and the Bowl Championship Series is currently chairing the creation of college football's first playoff. Hancock, an Oklahoma native, recently oversaw the creation of a playoff selection committee that includes 13 members from a wide variety of backgrounds. Earlier this year, he answered questions about the BCS's legacy and the future of the postseason in college football. will the selection committee use to make its decisions? Hancock: "I think the working concept is the committee will have reams of data and megabytes of data in front of them about every team. I don't think there will be one central metric such as the RPI in basketball and some other sports, but these committee members will be free to look at whatever they Hancock, the former director want to help make their decisions of the NCAA Men's Basketball about teams." Tournament and the Bowl Championship Series, is cur- Blue & Gold Illustrated: Were the rently chairing the creation of proprietors of other bowl games college football's first playoff. concerned about what the playoff Blue & Gold Illustrated: How do photo courtesy college football playoff would do to their events? you think the BCS will be remembered? Hancock: "Like everybody else, when this came Hancock: "It has been controversial, but as we get out, they had questions, and during the first week or ready to bid it goodbye, we know there's a lot that 10 days, my phone was lit up as they called in to ask it did right. I think one thing that's important for all and try to figure out what it means to them, but they of us to remember is that controversy is just a given figured that all out now. in sports. "They were comforted by the fact that the commis"Regarding the BCS, love it or not, reading its facts sioners really had two goals when they created the shows that it has been extremely valuable to college playoff: protect the regular season and protect the football and its fans over the 15 years. … I believe bowls from top to bottom." history will view the BCS favorably for all the good that it has done for the game that we love, for the Blue & Gold Illustrated: Are you concerned about postseason and for the student-athletes." recent dips in bowl attendance across the board? Hancock: "I think everyone in our business is strivBlue & Gold Illustrated: What is the biggest impact ing, literally as we speak in some cases, to make the BCS had on the new postseason? sure the fan experience is top-notch. I don't know Hancock: "The fact that the conferences have whether we were not as up to speed as we should worked so well on the creation of the BCS and on have been on that, but it is a priority and it will administering the BCS throughout the years was happen. certainly important to the success of the BCS, and I "Going to the game has to be a better experience think a notable milestone in college sports." than watching on television, and we all need to do what we can to make that happen." — Dan Murphy Blue & Gold Illustrated: What type of information