NCAA president says he hopes to “dramatically limit” prop betting
NCAA President Charlie Baker Aims to "Dramatically Limit" Prop Betting
NCAA president says he hopes to dramatically - In a recent interview on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," NCAA President Charlie Baker expressed concerns about the growing influence of proposition betting in collegiate sports, emphasizing his desire to "dramatically limit" its impact. The discussion, which aired on July 1, highlighted Baker’s belief that this form of betting is reshaping the "character and the culture of fandom" and undermining the dignity of student athletes. His comments reflect a broader effort by the NCAA to address the challenges posed by sports betting practices at the collegiate level and beyond.
Prop Betting and Its Impact on Athletes
Prop betting, a type of wager focused on individual players or specific game events rather than the overall outcome, has become a contentious issue in modern sports. Examples include bets on the number of passing yards a quarterback accumulates or which team will score first in a match. Baker argued that such bets have created an environment where student athletes are constantly subjected to criticism and pressure, often from fans and bettors alike. During the interview, he described a scenario where fans at a major college basketball game would shout directives like, "don't take the first pitch, don't take the first shot, don't catch the first pass," to players as if they were orchestrating the game’s result for financial gain.
" Honestly, it's disgraceful, it's demeaning, and it's incredibly demoralizing for student athletes," Baker said.
A Growing Concern in Collegiate Sports
Baker, who previously served as the governor of Massachusetts from 2015 to 2023, highlighted how the NCAA was the first organization to raise alarms about the surge in prop betting. He explained that the issue became prominent almost immediately after taking on his new role in the spring of 2023, when student athletes began reporting the "noise and the abuse" they faced from bettors. These complaints, he noted, revealed a disturbing trend of fans using social media to target players with aggressive commentary, often linking their performance to betting outcomes.
The NCAA’s 2024 report on online abuse during its championships found nearly 750 instances of sports betting-related misconduct, accounting for 12% of all abuse cases identified. This data was further supported by a 2025 study, which revealed that 36% of Division I men’s basketball student athletes had experienced targeted abuse on social media tied to prop betting in the preceding year. Baker stressed that these numbers underscore the need for stronger measures to protect athletes from the negative consequences of the betting culture.
Advocating for Regulation and Awareness
Following the rise of state laws legalizing sports betting, the NCAA launched a campaign in 2023 to push for stricter regulations. Baker noted that the organization has taken a proactive stance, emphasizing the importance of reducing the "demeaning" aspects of prop betting. In a separate statement, he urged state gambling commissions to enhance rules to prevent individuals from wagering on specific player actions, such as a basketball player’s scoring or a football quarterback’s passing performance. Additionally, he called for the regulatory body overseeing prediction markets to temporarily suspend these markets until more comprehensive safeguards could be implemented.
When asked by CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe about the NCAA’s strategies to prevent student athletes from betting on games, Baker acknowledged the organization’s role in monitoring such activities. "We run the largest integrity program in the world," he stated, adding that they have "caught, unfortunately, a lot of young people betting on sports." The program includes surveillance at major championships, where social media activity is tracked in real time. Baker explained that the NCAA alerts authorities about "particularly bad" instances of abuse directed at athletes, coaches, or officials, aiming to remove offenders from platforms during critical events.
Collaboration with Professional Leagues
Baker’s concerns extend beyond collegiate sports, as he noted the increasing influence of prop betting in professional leagues. Last year, Major League Baseball (MLB) began considering a ban on all prop betting, while implementing targeted restrictions. Similarly, the National Football League (NFL) has taken steps to curb certain elements of the practice. Baker expressed satisfaction with these efforts, stating he was "really pleased" to see professional leagues "start to step up" and recognize the harm prop betting can cause. He pointed out that these leagues are now highlighting the negative effects on players and their families, signaling a shift in attitudes toward the issue.
"My hope is that we, working together with our colleagues and the professional leagues, can dramatically limit, significantly reduce, and at least at the collegiate level, get rid of all of the negative prop bets, and hopefully most of the prop bets," Baker said. This collaborative approach aims to create a unified front against the spread of betting-related pressures, which Baker believes are eroding the integrity of sports and the experience of fans.
Broader Implications for Fandom and Athletes
The NCAA’s push to limit prop betting has sparked conversations about the balance between entertainment and fairness in sports. Baker argued that the current system prioritizes profit over the emotional connection fans have with athletes, transforming the viewing experience into a competitive game of wagers. He criticized the way betting has "demeaned" student athletes, reducing them to mere pawns in a financial scheme rather than celebrating their skills and dedication.
While some may view prop betting as a natural evolution of sports engagement, Baker and others in the NCAA see it as a threat to the core values of collegiate athletics. The "character and the culture of fandom" he mentioned in the interview are being reshaped by the constant focus on individual performance metrics, which can distract from the broader narrative of teamwork and sport. This shift, Baker warned, risks alienating fans and creating an environment where athletes are judged not by their talent or effort, but by their ability to fulfill betting expectations.
A Call for Collective Action
Baker’s remarks underscore the need for coordinated efforts between collegiate and professional sports organizations to address the issue. He emphasized that the NCAA is not just reacting to the problem but actively seeking solutions, such as stricter regulations and public awareness campaigns. By highlighting the negative impacts on student athletes, he hopes to mobilize fans, educators, and lawmakers to support these initiatives. "I'm anxious to have a lot of the folks who are part of our community get deeply involved and organized on this one," he said, suggesting a grassroots movement to combat the growing influence of betting in sports.
As the debate continues, the NCAA remains committed to its mission of protecting athletes from the pressures of commercialization. Its surveillance program and ongoing advocacy efforts represent a critical step in this direction. However, Baker acknowledged that the battle is far from over, as the sports betting industry continues to expand and adapt to new challenges. The success of these initiatives will depend on the willingness of all stakeholders to prioritize the well-being of student athletes over the allure of profit.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
With prop betting becoming an increasingly pervasive phenomenon, the NCAA’s campaign to limit its impact is a timely response to a pressing issue. Baker’s leadership in this effort reflects a growing awareness of the problem and a determination to safeguard the integrity of collegiate sports. By working alongside professional leagues and leveraging data from recent studies, the NCAA aims to create a lasting change in how sports betting is perceived and managed. As the conversation evolves, the focus remains on ensuring that athletes are not only celebrated for their performances but also protected from the burdens of betting culture.
Ultimately, Baker’s goal is to restore a sense of fairness and respect to the sports world, where fans can enjoy games without the constant pressure of financial stakes. His vision of a future where prop betting is "dramatically limited" and "significantly reduced" offers hope that the NCAA can lead the way in redefining the relationship between sports, betting, and the athletes at the center of it all.