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The College Football Association Television Broadcase Cartel

Author

Listed:
  • John J. Siegfried

    (Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University; American Economics Association)

  • Molly Gardner Burba

    (Private Investment Banking Company LLC, New York)

Abstract

The College Football Association (CFA) sold rights to broadcast live games of its members from 1984 through 1995. It competed directly with the Big Ten and Pac Ten universities that sold an alternative broadcast package. Each of the duopolists dominated certain geographic areas, so that they retained much of the monopoly power of the single NCAA cartel that they replaced. The CFA restricted output in order to elevate rights fees, and limited entry into the Association. The broadcast rights fees it collected substantially exceeded marginal cost. This article examines how the number of sellers, entry conditions, product homogeneity, and the elasticity of demand fostered the cartel, and how the cartel prevented cheating on the agreement. Eventually, disputes over the distribution of the rents led to defections. Penn State and Notre Dame left in 1990 and 1991. When the Southeastern Conference struck out independently after 1995, the CFA collapsed. It sealed its books on June 30, 1997.

Suggested Citation

  • John J. Siegfried & Molly Gardner Burba, 2003. "The College Football Association Television Broadcase Cartel," Vanderbilt University Department of Economics Working Papers 0320, Vanderbilt University Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:van:wpaper:0320
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    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/pubs/VUECON/vu03-w20.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2003
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cartels; CFA; College football; football television broadcasting; NCAA;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L83 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Sports; Gambling; Restaurants; Recreation; Tourism

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    1. College Football Association in Wikipedia English

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