The Attorney General of Florida, Ashley Moody, announced an antitrust investigation into the college football playoff after the undefeated Florida State team was excluded, stating that this decision resulted in a loss of millions for the state and the university.
Key Facts
The Attorney General of Florida announced the investigation into the selection process of the college football playoff following the stunning decision on December 3 to exclude the Florida State team.
Moody stated that the NCAA and the college football playoff selection committee are subject to antitrust laws, and Florida will investigate whether either organization engaged in “anti-competitive behavior.”
Moody said, “As known, the committee’s decision appears to breathe bias – choosing winners in the boardrooms rather than on the field.”
Moody announced that she would issue a subpoena for all communications between the NCAA and several conferences, including the Southeastern Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference, as well as ESPN, which is owned by Disney, plus all records related to trades, media talking points, and interview notes regarding the selection process.
Moody stated that the process will take a long time and does not expect any change in this year’s playoff outcome.
The college football playoff confirmed to Forbes that it will carefully review the Attorney General’s subpoena, but described Moody’s demands as “an extremely aggressive reaction to the college football rankings that were expected to disappoint some fans anywhere.”
Main Background
Florida State ended its college football season with a record of 13-0, but was disappointed after the college football playoff announced its exclusion from the 2023 playoff. The four playoff teams are not only determined by record but are evaluated by a 13-member committee. The chair of the college football playoff selection committee, Boo Corrigan, told ESPN that Florida State was a “different team” after star quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a broken leg during a game against North Alabama in November. The college football playoff does not award playoff spots solely based on record but ranks teams subjectively based on factors such as championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head matchups (if applicable), and comparative results against common opponents. Undefeated Michigan and Washington secured the first and second spots in the playoff, while Texas with a record of 12-1 was chosen third and Alabama with a record of 12-1 got the fourth spot. Alabama’s football program is one of the most valuable in the country, generating record profits exceeding $130 million in 2022. This decision sparked outrage in the college football world and faced criticism from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump, who stated that DeSantis was responsible for Florida State’s exclusion due to “really bad promotional efforts.” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said he was “disgusted and angry” after his team’s exclusion, stating, “I don’t understand how we are supposed to view this as an acceptable way to evaluate a team.”
What to Watch For
Despite not qualifying for the playoff, Florida State is ranked fifth in the country and will play the University of Georgia – back-to-back national champions – on December 30 in the Orange Bowl. The college football playoff semifinals will be aired on ESPN on January 1, featuring Michigan against Alabama in the Rose Bowl at 5 PM ET and Texas against Washington in the Sugar Bowl at 8:45 PM ET. The national championship game will be broadcast on ESPN on January 8.
Source:
Forbes
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