Bye Bye Fergie [Enter NCAA]

The 'Gridiron Bash', a series of concerts being held at schools around the country on Spring Game Eve (including a show by Fergie in Beaver Stadium), has been given the axe by the NCAA:

NCAA rules do not allow student-athletes to participate in any promotional activities or appearances for a commercial venture. NCAA rules also do not allow student-athletes to receive free or reduced benefits, such as free concert tickets, that are not generally available to the student body. These rules are in place to maintain amateur status of student-athletes.

While it has been stated that the organizers have been planning this event for a year and a half, they did not contact the NCAA to ensure compliance until last week.

That last part blows my mind. You get 16 big time acts lined up to play huge venues and you forget to ask permission?

Several sources are reporting that the concert is 'postponed', but it appears the NCAA isn't moving on this one. On the NCAA not allowing players anywhere near the for-profit concert series:

"They were a very integral part of all Gridiron Bashes nationwide," Brandwein [concert promoter] said. "Student athletes were not being asked to promote the concert, they were participating in our event but not being asked to promote. Without the participation of football players and coaches, it really would destroy the essence of what Gridiron Bash is all about."

Someone is losing a lot of money on this one.