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NCAA News Release

Division II Presidents Pledge Support For Positive Game Environment, CBS College Sports Network Contract Negotiation

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Contact(s)
Stacey Osburn
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117
INDIANAPOLIS--- Following the 2009 NCAA Convention, Division II has committed to several initiatives to continue the positive momentum for the division in the coming year. Two of these initiatives include a commitment to a positive game environment throughout the division, and a plan to continue the national stage provided to Division II and its student-athletes through a regular season and championship television package.

All 276 presidents and chancellors from active Division II member institutions have expressed commitment to a positive game environment by signing a pledge. This unanimous support meets the division�s original goal of having all presidential signatures by the beginning of the 2009 NCAA Convention. This pledge commits to staging athletics events that "reflect the values of higher education and the mission of each institution" and is a part of a Division II-wide effort to offer student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans the best game environment possible.

The pledge states, "Division II emphasizes learning and development in a personal setting. As chancellors and presidents, we are concerned about the uncivil behavior exhibited at college athletics contexts and thereby pledge to work together to make respectful, family-friendly events a standard of the Division II experience."

This concept emerged from a meeting of the Division II Presidents Council and chairs of the conference presidential leadership groups in April. Those participants were the first to sign the commitment to positive game environment, and they set a goal of having all Division II presidents sign the form by Convention. That mission has now been accomplished.

"The game-environment effort is a strategic component of Division II�s emphasis on community engagement," Division II Presidents Council Chair Stephen Jordan said in an interview with The NCAA News January 6. "It started with Division II actually changing its bylaws � deregulating rules regarding competitive equity to facilitate community engagement � realizing that colleges and universities are part of the community and that athletics is a great way to attract community members to our campuses. With that in place, if we do not have the right kind of game environment � fan-friendly, affordable, where people can engage in cheering for teams but not against them � if we can create that kind of positive environment, then we really can achieve this vision of engagement with our colleges and communities."

The NCAA Convention also provided another milestone for Division II � an approval to negotiate the extension of the division�s regular season contract with CBS College Sports Network. Division II is in the final year of its three-year agreement with the network to broadcast regular-season football and basketball games, as well as enhancing championship broadcasts in those and other sports. As of this April 2009, more than 70 different schools and all 22 conferences will have had at least one regular-season football or basketball game televised during the three years of the current agreement.

"Our partnership with CBS College Sports has been a successful and productive Division II initiative," said Division II president Mike Racy. "It has provided us with the opportunity to highlight Division II contests and student-athlete accomplishments, while also providing viewers a unique glimpse into the division and the way we balance academics and athletics excellence."

"Division II�s strategic-positioning platform relies on a purposeful blend of local and national initiatives to achieve success," said Presidents Council Chair Stephen Jordan of Metropolitan State. "While our community-engagement and game-environment efforts have galvanized Division II locally, the division also has sought to spread its identity to a national stage through increased television exposure in regular-season and championships competition. Our broadcast agreement with CBS College Sports helps us tell the Division II story on a national platform."


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