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New Jersey Governor Chris Christie did not mince words Tuesday when he referred to the NCAA’s decision to pull some championship games out of the Garden State as “ludicrous”.
The NCAA is reacting to New Jersey’s decision to move forward with legalizing sports betting in the state. It will begin accepting application from potential operators on January 6.
A spokesperson for Christie called the NCAA move "ludicrous and hypocritical."
The National Collegiate Athletic Association and four professional sports leagues including the NFL have filed a suit against the state in an effort to prohibit New Jersey from offering legalized sports wagering.
The six championships being pulled from the state, all scheduled in 2013, include the Division III Wrestling Championships, East Regionals (Ewing, March 2), Division I Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, Diving Regionals (Piscataway, March 14-17), Division I Women’s Basketball Championship, Trenton Regional (Trenton, March 30-April 2), Division III Men’s Volleyball Championship (Hoboken, April 26-28) and the Division II and III Women’s Lacrosse Championships (Montclair, May 18-19).
Joe Brennan, head of the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, reacted to the NCAA decision Tuesday afternoon. His organization is working with local officials, including State Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) and the Governor, to develop a framework for legalized sports betting in the state.
"It's terrible for the students at those schools that will be affected, but if the NCAA insists on using student-athletes as pawns in legal proceedings, there is not much Gov. Christie or New Jersey can do to stop them,” Brennan told Gambling911.com. “It's curious, as the NCAA has long permitted conference championships and other events to be played in Nevada, which is already operating licensed sports betting.
"This shows that the NCAA, for all of its glowing images of student-athletes and their competitions, is no different from the professional sports leagues. This "Gang of Five" - the NCAA, NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL - are only concerned with money and power, and preserving control over their product, even if it affects innocent 18-to-22 year old kids.
The NCAA is not showing a great deal of respect for Judge Michael Shipp and his court. A ruling has not yet been issued on the NCAA, et al request for a temporary injunction on New Jersey, to prevent licensing sports betting prior to the conclusion of trial-level proceedings.
Perhaps the NCAA has tipped its hand, showing they do not feel their TRO request will be successful, and have instead moved to punish New Jersey colleges for something the state has not yet done."
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
