NCAA Distancing Itself From Sports Betting Would Be A Big Mistake | Geoff Clark

Continuing its tenacious pursuit to lose relevancy, NCAA president Charlie Baker issued a statement Wednesday pleading with states to "remove college prop bets from all betting markets". This comes on the heels of the NBA investigating Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter for "betting irregularities" with his player props in three different games this season. 

In his statement, Baker uses the go-to anti-sports betting phrase, "threaten the integrity of competition." But, Baker adds a contemporary anti-sports betting argument of "student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed". Before addressing Baker's first point, let me just say I understand his concern about the harassment issue. 

I don't go to many live sporting events because I'm too busy watching my bets win or lose on TV, so I don't have first-hand knowledge of said "harassment". However, I've seen reports of fans heckling professional and college athletes because of prop bets or "Same Game Parlays" (SGP). So Baker's complaint is valid and this type of behavior cannot be condoned. 

Unfortunately, this was always going to happen and it's something we need to get better about as a society. Sports betting is becoming ultra-mainstream with sportsbooks advertising around the clock. With that, a lot of first-time gamblers are wetting their beaks and, frankly, not everyone should be sports betting. It's supposed to be fun but lines are crossed once someone starts berating athletes.

NCAA president Charlie Baker is interviewed by Boston Globe Sports writer Chris Gasper at the Globe Summit 2023. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

That said, the NCAA trying to distance itself from sports betting entirely would be a mistake. It's one of the few things that generates interest and keeps fans engaged. Hopefully in a good way, but not always. Obviously. Fans will only stick around to watch a lopsided game to see if their prop bet, spread bet or SGP cashes. Yet, those TV ratings, thanks to betting, help the NCAA's revenue. 

These "betting irregularities" aren't increasing because of legalized sports betting. Instead, they are getting exposed because of it. For states to legalize sports betting, compliance and gambling integrity firms must be in place to help prevent these issues. So, it's these integrity firms, or the sportsbooks themselves, reporting any "match-fixing". Not law enforcement. 

It makes sense for Baker and the NCAA to try to get ahead of issues because of sports betting. But, taking these sanctimonious positions has, in part, brought the NCAA to a crossroads. It would be better for them to let nature take its course and not be the "fun police". 

_____________________________

Follow me on X (or Twitter, whatever) @Geoffery-Clark and check out my OutKick Bets Podcast for more betting content and random rants.