Updated: Nov 1, 2004, 10:04 PM

Vote: SportsNation Referendum


Vote or Die In this most important of election years, it's time to find out where ESPN.com users ultimately stand. On sports, that is. So leading up to Election Day on Nov. 2, Page 2 and SportsNation are presenting the campaigns, the platforms and -- yes -- the candidates and ballot initiatives for the two major parties of sports fans: the Purists and the Progressives. We've already introduced the presidential tickets (Hank Lombard and Christopher Beiler for the Purist Party, and Destiny Sweetwater and Jamaal Anthony for the Progressives).

Today, we want to know what you think are the most important issues that need to be addressed in the world of sports. From this list, tell us what you'd like to see on next Tuesday's ballot. Choose up to five issues/questions today. We'll put the ones that most people deem important up to a vote on Election Day.

What are the most important issues to be addressed in the world of sports?

  • Should there be an eight-team college football playoff tournament to determine a national championship?
  • Should the NCAA impose a salary cap on coaching staffs? (As in, is it fair for any college coach to receive a multi-million dollar salary?)
  • Should college athletes be paid to play?
  • If college athletes are paid to play, should there be a sliding salary scale so that the star athletes, or those who play so-called 'skill' positions, receive a bigger paycheck than a team's foot soldiers do?
  • Should every college and university basketball team be allowed into the NCAA tournament?
  • Should the NHL be disbanded, and a new pro hockey league built from scratch?
  • Should a federal law be passed that prohibits labor/management work stoppages in professional sports?
  • Should Major League Baseball have a salary cap?
  • Should Major League Baseball use instant replay?
  • Should home-field advantage in the World Series be determined by the outcome of the All-Star Game?
  • Should Questec be made the standard and universal evaluation tool for umpires at every Major League Baseball stadium?
  • Should NFL games be played regularly on days other than Sunday and Monday?
  • Should a permanent site be established for the Super Bowl?
  • Should the Super Bowl be played in the city of one of the competing teams?
  • Should there be a law that bans advertising from uniforms?
  • Should pro teams have to tie their ticket pricing to their payroll, so that a low-payroll team would be required to charge less for a ticket than a high-payroll team?
  • Should season ticket holders get a rebate when their team has a bad year?
  • Should every major professional sports league have a salary floor, in which each team is required to spend at least a certain amount on player payroll?
  • Should there be a ''retirement cap,'' under which no athlete will be allowed to retire more than twice.
  • In the four major professional sports (baseball, football, basketball and hockey), should there be a rule that no under the age of 20 is eligible to play professionally?
  • In the four major professional sports (baseball, football, basketball and hockey), should there be a rule that no under the age of 20 is eligible to play professionally?
  • Should all major playoff games in every sport be required to start no later than 8 p.m., Eastern?
  • Should cable or staelliste companies be allowed ''exclusives'' on all-access packages, like NFL Sunday Ticket?
  • Should all ballpark/stadiums be required to allow you to bring in your own food and drink?
  • Should beer prices be capped?
  • Should multiple-team allegiances in the same sport be outlawed? (Should one fan be permitted to root for, say, both the Steelers and the Seahawks in the NFL?)
  • Should there be a limit on the number of alternate or throwback uniforms each team is allowed to wear in one season?
  • Should advertising be banned from all uniforms?
  • Should professional athletes be barred from the Olympics again?
  • Should a permanent site be established for the Olympic Games?
  • Should college programs sell naming rights to regular season football games?

ESPN Conversations
comments


You must be signed in to post a comment

Already have an account?

You are fully responsible for the content you post. Content that includes profanity, personal attacks or antisocial behavior (such as "spamming" or "trolling"), or other inappropriate content or material will be removed. We reserve the right to block any user who violates our terms of use, including removing all content posted by that user.

SportsNation on Facebook

THIS WEEK'S CHATS

Thursday, June 13 Friday, June 14Sunday, June 16Monday, June 17Tuesday, June 18Wednesday, June 19