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NCAA, Football Playoff to pay for family travel to title games under pilot program
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The National Collegiate Athletic Association and College Football Playoff announced the creation of a pilot program that will pay for family members of competing student-athletes to attend the national championship game in football or the men’s and women’s Final Fours.
A special waiver was granted so the program went into effect for next week’s title game in Irvine, Texas, on Jan. 12.
Specially, the playoff may provide up to $3,000 in travel expenses for families, while the NCAA will pay up to $4,000 in expenses for a Final Four.
“We know how expensive travel can be, so we’re pleased to provide assistance to parents or guardians who want to see their sons play in the first College Football Playoff National Championship,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the College Football Playoff, said in a statement. “It will make the game even more special for the student-athletes to know that their family members are receiving this benefit.”
The reimbursement for the football game will cover expenses for hotel accommodations, travel reimbursement and meal expenses for a maximum of two parents or legal guardians per athlete. The playoff announced that the reimbursement will be capped at $1,250 per parent or guardian.
The program will be evaluated going forward to make certain it provides the appropriate amount of permissible assistance.
As one of the coaches in the inaugural playoff, Alabama coach Nick Saban was quick to quick to be a proponent of such action, mentioning it during his introductory remarks of a Dec. 11 press conference.
“I just hope that because it’s a first that we do the best job that we possibly can for all teams involved, all players involved, all families involved, assessing how we do this so that we can make it better for the families in the future,” he said. “I think that when I stay make it better, I think for the travel that’s involved with all the families, that maybe we should do something for the family so that they have an opportunity to get to the game so that they can see the players play. And I think that would be something great and I think that’s something that all the coaches up here really, really support.”
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer became vocal about the issue at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, and after his team defeated Alabama 42-35 said “there should be an immediate committee meeting somewhere” about how to get families to the championship game.
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
