Bob Knight and Billy Packer are causing quite a stir in the Sports World since announcing the details surrounding their new FSN show, “Survive and Advance”. USA Today spoke with a former gambling addict, and she says that program’s locale is saying it’s okay for College kids to bet on games….
“The NCAA should have enough clout to stop something like this. It sends the message to (college) kids it’s OK to do this,” complains Arnie Wexler, a recovering compulsive gambler who runs a gambling hotline.
“They’re setting themselves up for a scandal. Who knows how many college students are going to bet on these games? I’m sure some athletes will bet too. What kind of message are we sending by running a show like this? The whole thing is sick.”
Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, says the show flies in the face of the NCAA’s anti-gambling stance. “This is really an issue for the NCAA. There’s a contradiction between their zero-tolerance gambling approach — and the reality that most Americans do gamble.”
The unfortunate thing, is that a hell of a lot of Americans do gamble on Sports, and there’s nothing that can really be done to change that. Especially when you consider that banning online gambling in the U.S. did absolutely nothing to curtail it. FSN promises that the show will have nothing to do with betting, but young kids are impressionable, and all of the lines posted and people walking around with betting slips won’t go unnoticed.
Hell, College is when I started gambling, and I’m sure that’s the case for most people my age. I’m not for telling grownups what to do, but FSN might want to think about changing the location of the show.
Vegas venue raises eyebrows for Knight-Packer show (USA Today)
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