There are some who argue that the BCS is fair and just. It just so happens that they are the same people who happen to be paid by the BCS, BCS-affiliated conferences, or media companies who have million-dollar contracts with the organization. It’s uncanny. Really.

Furthermore, those proponents who get kick backs in one form or another have a laundry list of reasons why it’s so good for student-athletes and fans which needs to be cleaned on heavy duty permanent press spin cycle.

One major issue that stands out is the number of games NCAA football teams would be forced to play if a playoff was instituted. those poor souls. The argument from those in the BCS’ pocket stresses the importance of each game in the current system and how additional games would dilute and weaken the weight of games which are so potent under the current structure.

To borrow the title of the SNL skit hosted by Seth Meyers and Amy Pohler, the SFC counters this claim with a resounding and emphatic ‘REALLY?!?!’

Rather than provide a long list of reasons why the idiocy of the money-grubbing BCS’ arguments are just that, idiotic, let’s take a look at the Bleacher Report’s rankings of the Top Ten Most Cowardly Programs in College Football.

Notice any familiar faces or mascots?

It just so happens that many of these BCS don’t-call-it-a-National-Title contenders schedule cake walk games each year. While the teams themselves deserve some ridicule for padding their stats, it is obviously the system, the Bowl Championship Series - which rewards such behavior - that is truly to blame.

Sports fans deserve a playoff. Don’t let their henchmen fool you into thinking otherwise. Even if they hired 15 Ari Fleischers to spin the issue, we sports fans know a playoff is the only way to determine a true college football champion.

Since it worked so well for the BCS, Tiger Woods has hired Ari Fleischer to run interference on all the negative attention he is receiving for his philandering. The world’s first billion-dollar athlete tarnished his pristine clean brand on Thanksgiving with a car accident that led to the unravelling of a superstar.

Tiger’s campaign to control his image’s steep decline has failed in every category setting a new low for mismanagement of an icon. His entire team is to blame for such bumbling idiocy.

The only glimmer of poise was shown almost a month ago when Woods delivered a seemingly heartfelt speech admitting his wrongdoing, pushing for fleeting privacy for his wife and family, and claiming he still has work to do.

Now there’s a new kid in town. The same media maven behind selling the War in Iraq to the American public. The spin doctor behind the BCS’ futile efforts to sell the BCS to college football fans claiming fans can’t even decide how many teams should be allowed to participate in a playoff. The same PR impresario who advised Mark McGwire to claim that steroids never helped him hit a baseball out of the park.

Ari Fleischer will attempt to not only keep the Titanic from sinking, but seek to get it back to the port before the band plays its swan song. Ultimately, he’ll fail. Sports fans will never view Tiger the same even after the late night shows move on to a new butt for their jokes.

There is such a stigma attached to hiring Fleischer that Tiger will suffer today. In two weeks, when Tiger will reportedly compete at Bay Hill, it will be the beginning of the end of this tragic saga for the Woods family.

The best and only tactic Tiger should implement is to ‘hit golf balls’ according to James Carville.  ‘As soon as Tiger wins on the golf course, the public won’t care about any of this.’ This cajun wisdom may fall short of reality, but you can’t argue with the fact that unpopular athletes who have performed well on the field, course, or court have drastically improved their public images.

Concerning the big business of the PGA Tour, the face of their sport has taken a hit, which directly affects their bottom line. Tiger’s return may have hurt the sport’s marketability, but his return will bring more reporters than the red carpet on Oscar night (sorry you missed it, Cablevision subscribers).

In the eyes of sports fans, Tiger Woods’ sold an image that was far from reality. Using Mr. Spin to stabilize his footing may improve his ability to stonewall and send the ‘right’ message to the press, but it’ll never repair the trust.

The public won’t buy into all the predictable ‘he’s been through so much’ commentary on TV either. As much as America loves the comeback kid, this kid should’ve grown up a long time ago.

SFC Sports Business reporter Kelty Carpenter shares her experience from this year’s SSAC in Boston:

This past weekend, I attended the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston. ESPN and MIT joined together to host the one day event devoted to the business of sports.

While much of the day was spent discussing the science of statistics in sports (i.e. how the number of blocked shots in a basketball game directly correlates to the outcome, how to develop consistently good pitchers, etc), the fans were not ignored. The first panel of the day included a wide range of heavy hitters from the industry: President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs Brian Burke, Managing Partner and Executive Committee Member of the Boston Celtics Stephen Pagliuca, NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, President of the Tampa Bay Rays Matt Silverman, and President of Game Plan LLC Randy Vataha.

What struck me about this insightful discussion about the best practices of management in the sports industry was not that of the analytical or crunching numbers necessarily. Rather, the message that resonated was the importance of the fan experience.

The first thing any student learns in a sports management program is that selling tickets to a sporting event is just like selling a concert ticket — it is about an entertainment experience. Success on the court/field/ice is not an element of the experience that the management can control. What each team must do is make the experience enjoyable for the fan regardless of a win or loss.

Brian Burke described his managerial style as making the fans’ investment worthwhile. He wants his team to play hard, hit, and score as often as possible. Burke referenced that NFL offenses that let the clock run down almost to zero prior to snapping the ball as a tangible negative. Burke’s contention was that it wasted the fans’ time.

Any fan that pays $100 to see an NFL game should have the benefit of seeing as many plays run as possible. Its a refreshing perspective from a GM who understands fans can spend their hard-earned money on a variety of entertainment options in Toronto, but choose instead to spend it on a Maple Leafs ticket for that live game experience.

The most interesting panel of the day was the discussion amongst David Holland of Cisco, Peter Moore of EA Sports, Tim Romani of ICON Venture, David Samson of the Florida Marlins and Alec Scheiner of the Dallas Cowboys.

The Marlins and Cowboys are at opposite ends of the financial spectrum. Alec Scheiner extolled the virtues of the new Cowboys Stadium, which David Samson explained was the investment equivalent of 3 new Marlins parks.

The bells and whistles of the new stadiums were dramatically different as it relates to the fan experience. Scheiner described the enormity of the new structure in Dallas as a way to accommodate the number of fans who want tickets. Samson explained the reasoning behind the intimacy of the Marlins field as a way to drive up demand for tickets.

While Scheiner believes the technological improvements such as televisions on the backs of seats are clearly fan-friendly, Samson countered that they pull the fan away from the live event they are attending. Samson wants fans to spend as much time watching the product on the field as possible.

At the new Marlins structure, lines for parking, restrooms and ATMs have been designed in the same manner as Disney properties — the fan always feels as though he or she is moving. The debate was healthy and provided proof that every market has different fan demands teams seek to accommodate.

How do sports organizations best attract our money? While winning is the great equalizer, sports is a zero-sum game. Every win means another team has to lose. By putting together a top notch fan experience, teams are able to obtain and retain the fans that will stick with them no matter the final score.

What does one take away from all of this? The bottom line is that these organizations need us to survive. Due to the economic downturn, what was already stiff competition for the fan dollar has become more rampant. It is up to sports fans to organize their efforts to demand results from the sports industry or this fierce competition ends up harming fans rather than helping the group.

[Kelty Carpenter is a graduate of Wake Forest University and soon-to-be graduate of Georgetown University's Sports Industry Management program. She currently serves as Sports Business reporter for SFC & Social Media Assistant for LinkStar PR. She loves Red Sox baseball and Deacon hoops.]

When Sports Fans Coalition formed and effectively launched, this bi-partisan group of concerned sports fans knew the tasks before it were daunting. Educating sports fans about the issues on the air and through written word, organizing sports fans to speak with one voice against businesses and politicians taking advantage of the group, and fighting for change in court rooms and government buildings; needless to say, this undertaking is tremendously challenging.

Given the background and experience of SFC’s Board of Directors and Advisory Board, taking action for change in the hallowed halls of the FCC and, more recently, the Oregon General Assembly, for example has not been the greatest of these challenges. Organizing sports fans to come together hasn’t been a piece of cake, but the ease with which sports fans can sign our petitions, become a member, a fan on Facebook, or follow SFC on Twitter has facilitated real growth and interaction with sports fans in such a short time.

The real challenge has been the first goal of the SFC’s trifecta: education. Education and, bluntly, persuasion, has been a real test of the organization’s fortitude. One only needs to read the last four paragraph’s of Brad Blakeman’s testimony before the Oregon State Legislature hearing last week to recognize that our representatives need to be convinced that touching sports isn’t taboo.

The tremendous backlash following the U.S. Government’s decision to investigate the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball culminating in a he said-he said stand off between fallen rocket Roger Clemens and his former personal trainer Brian McNamee left a bad taste in constituents’ mouths. Tax payers across the country questioned the use of our representatives’ time and energy on an issue which would’ve been better handled by Judge Judy or the People’s Court.

As the hangover from such a scandal has subsided, the need for sports fans to organize and fight for their rights has not subsided. In fact, during this recession, or as many believe it to be a depression, which burdens our economy, the big businesses which control the sports we watch on TV and the teams we cheer for in the stands are more eager than ever to make a buck. Now, more than ever, it’s time for a Sports Fans Coalition.

Sports teams are pursuing deceptive ways to take money from fans without them knowing it. Media companies have their legal teams working overtime to force fans to pay their ever rising prices with diminishing returns, making false promises to consumers and their representatives.

While most fans just want to see their teams win championships, like Red Sox Nation’s broken curse which brought tears to so many eyes in 2004, many are getting a raw deal but just don’t know they can do something about it. Sports fans don’t recognize their power.

The truth is that we sports fans have a tremendous responsibility to speak up when our fan dollars are being misused. When large corporations, even if they are the teams we passionately cheer for at home or in the stadium, take advantage of us, there is recourse we should pursue. When media companies strike exclusive deals and break the law by prohibiting competition and keeping us from getting the best deal or even the opportunity to watch our games on TV, we won’t take it. We will fight back.

Join us in the fight to take the power back.  There is strength in numbers, and our representatives will be forced  to recognize that the business of sports should not be ignored. Sports fans deserve better.

On Tuesday, the four men responsible for the former ticket resale outlet, Wiseguys Ticketing, were indicted. For three years, these hackers purchased large amounts of premium seats at events, such as the 2006 Rose Bowl and the 2007 MLB playoffs. Wiseguys then sold their inventory to online ticket brokers at an increased price. The ticket brokers then sold the tickets on websites such as StubHub and TicketsNow.

By taking away the fans’ opportunity to purchase those seats directly from Ticketmaster or mlb.com, fans were instead forced to look to those ticket resale outlets to buy what they needed at a significant markup in addition to the increased price paid by those brokers.

So the fans got screwed — twice.

However, removing the Wiseguys from the online ticket purchasing game is only one hurdle facing sports fans in the technological age.

In a recent article in the Sports Business Journal, the president of StubHub, Inc. raised some issues of accelerating concern for sports fans in this new world of paperless ticketing. “People often talk about the virtues of paperless ticketing, and there are some, but there are also two main negatives: It takes away fan rights and eliminates resale competition,” Chris Tsakalakis said. “And with no competition, you usually get a lower level of service and higher prices.”

One of the advantages of paperless ticketing is the fan access to the tickets. Secondary ticket markets can not resell paperless tickets, eliminating ticket broker interest. But when plans change or a fan wants a last minute ticket, paperless tickets keep fans from re-selling tickets they can no longer use. Paperless requires a picture ID and the purchasing credit card to be shown at the gate to the event, prohibiting ticket transfer.

Penn State University went paperless for 2009 football season tickets in the student section. Ticketmaster made reselling possible through their own website, but the fine print showed that it only worked if both parties had valid Penn State student id numbers. There are also limits on how many games can be resold and at what price.

Paperless ticketing is a great way to eliminate scalpers. But at what cost to the fan?