1.04 Governing Bodies in Sports

Types of Governing Bodies The main types of Governing Bodies are: Leagues Federations Multi-sport event organizers

Leagues group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport create a common set of rules and organize competitions. usually work with the national and/or international federations. Ex: NBA

Federations Are responsible for one sport or sometimes a group of similar sport disciplines (i.e. aquatics). Also help with the promotion of the sport Can be national or international. National federations are responsible for a country's participation in the Olympics Ex: FIFA

Multi Sport Event Organizers are responsible for the organization of a certain event which contains more than one sport. The best known example is the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organizer of the modern Olympics.

Why have Governing Bodies? Without governing bodies, the sports industry would be like a country under anarchy… in chaos! The governing bodies of each sport have several main goals: Maintain order and unity while allowing healthy competition Ensure athlete’s safety Encourage good sportsmanship Provide fair and consistent enforcement of rules Maximize financial profits

Rules & Regulations There are many types of regulations: Game play rules: specific rules on how to play the game; how many timeouts, penalties, etc. Safety rules: rules put in place to protect athletes, fans and all involved; recently NFL has strickened rules on hits to the head Eligibility rules: determines who is eligible to play; covers use of drugs/steroids Selection rules: how are new players drafted and how are game schedules made Equipment rules: what types of equipment must be worn, can there be logos, etc. And more!

Commissioner In American leagues, if a rule is broken or a player is in question about a rule, the leagues often turn to the commissioner. the exact powers of the commissioner depend on the constitution of the league, but the commissioner is usually the highest executive position. Commissioners are elected by the owners of the league's teams, and handle matters such as discipline, arbitration of disputes between the teams, etc.

How much do Commissioners make?

1.04 Activity Select a major sport and determine the nature of its governing bodies. Does it have a commissioner; if so, who is it? Search the web to locate current news articles about the governing bodies and recent actions/changes. Prepare to present this info to your classmates. NFL NBA WNBA MLB NHL MLS CFL