The NCAA Commission on College Basketball: Institution Maintenance and Reputation Management in Practice

Abstract

In 2017, the NCAA convened the Commission on College Basketball after an FBI investigation found that apparel companies were bribing high school basketball players to attend certain universities. This event became a crisis eruption point for an organization confronted with a history of scandals and the concern that “big money” in collegiate athletics contributes to an environment conducive to cheating. The Commission was designed to make recommendations to help ensure the integrity and strengthen the institutional accountability within college basketball. This crisis featured two contextual factors: the institution of college basketball with its many stakeholder groups was threatened, and fans who receive emotional satisfaction through sports possibly willing to overlook a sports organization’s transgressions to continue experiencing the games that they enjoy. The NCAA forming the Commission on College Basketball and implementing new policies can be viewed as a corrective action crisis response with the aim of maintaining the institution of college basketball, and in doing so serves as an exercise in its own reputation management.

美国大学体育协会大学篮球委员会：实践中的制度维护和声誉管理

2017年, 联邦调查局的一项调查发现, 服装公司贿赂高中篮球运动员, 使其进入某些大学。事情败露之后, 美国大学体育协会召开了大学篮球委员会。该事件使组织的危机一触即发, 这一组织曾有丑闻历史, 并担心大学体育竞赛活动的“大笔资金”会滋长作弊环境。该委员会旨在提出建议, 以确保大学生篮球赛的诚信度和加强制度问责制。这场危机有两个背景因素：大学篮球制度下, 众多利益相关群体受到威胁；通过体育运动获得情感满足的球迷可能会选择忽视体育组织的违规行为, 继续体验他们喜欢的比赛。美国大学体育协会成立高校篮球委员会, 并实施新政策, 此举可视为危机应对纠正措施, 目的在于维护大学生篮球赛制度, 同时也不失为一次自身声誉管理的演练。

Keywords:

• NCAA
• crisis response
• reputation management
• sports fans
• institution maintenance

关键词：:

• 全国大学体育协会
• 危机应对
• 声誉管理
• 体育运动迷
• 制度维护

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

John A. Fortunato

John A. Fortunato (Ph.D., Rutgers University, U.S.) is a professor at Fordham University in the Gabelli School of Business, Area of Communication and Media Management. He teaches courses in sports media, digital media marketing, sponsorship and crisis management. Dr. Fortunato is the author of five books, including Commissioner: The Legacy of Pete Rozelle, Sports Sponsorship: Principles & Practices, and Making the Cut: Inside the PGA TOUR System. He has published more than 50 journal articles and book chapters. His articles have appeared in Public Relations Review, Journal of Sports Media, Journal of Sport Management, International Journal of Sport Communication, Journal of Brand Strategy, and multiple law reviews. Dr. Fortunato received his Ph. D. from Rutgers University in the School of Communication.