NCAA to Schools: Trim Sports Spending
By Howard Fendrich, Associated Press

When the NCAA set out to improve graduation rates among student-athletes, it established national standards and penalties for teams that didn't comply. Shifting the focus from academics to finances required a much more hands-off approach.

In a task-force report released Monday by NCAA president Myles Brand, Division I schools were encouraged to rein in spending on sports - but there aren't any requirements everyone must adhere to or punishments if they
don't.

"In the case of academic reform, we had a hammer - namely, by teams not conforming, we could take away scholarships and, if that failed, we could keep them out of the Final Four and postseason. That's heavy duty. That's a sledgehammer," Brand said after speaking at the National Press Club. "The fact is we don't have that for fiscal responsibility in intercollegiate athletics."

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