NCAA Rules Book Online

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Berkut

I am rather amazed that the NFHS does not make their rulebooks available online.

I mean really - get with the new century already.

They are on line. You have to "join" at the NFHS site to see them.

[Berkut]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

They are on line. You have to "join" at the NFHS site to see them.

Still silly. Make them publicly available, like the NCAA does.The rules are not a secret are they?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Berkut

Still silly. Make them publicly available, like the NCAA does.The rules are not a secret are they?

The NFHS receives a greater percentage of their income from books than does the NCAA.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

The NFHS receives a greater percentage of their income from books than does the NCAA.

That is probably the understatement of the week. I'd bet the NCAA's revenue from books is effectively zero compared to their total revenue where the NFHS revenue is largely from the books.

That said, I think they should go to a biannual schedule for all books and just raise the price a $1-2 dollars (or whatever it would take to make of for the lost profit for a year's worth of books...which would be far less than the total cost of the book since they'd save on a year's worth of production and distribution costs).

[Berkut]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

The NFHS receives a greater percentage of their income from books than does the NCAA.

That seems like a safe bet, since the NCAA publishes their rules online for free :P

I get that the NFHS uses the sale of books as an income stream, I just think it is a pretty poor way to go about making money, since it relies on a grossly outdated informational model that does not apply in today's world, and *should not* apply when it comes to something like making information about the rules as widely available as possible.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Berkut

That seems like a safe bet, since the NCAA publishes their rules online for free :P

I get that the NFHS uses the sale of books as an income stream, I just think it is a pretty poor way to go about making money, since it relies on a grossly outdated informational model that does not apply in today's world, and *should not* apply when it comes to something like making information about the rules as widely available as possible.

It is not about "making money". It is about funding thier operations. They're basically a non-profit organization don't really have a product to sell aside from the rules and training materials. If you can come up with another way that they can get people to give them money for the rules without printing them, I'm sure they'd be glad to listen.

The NCAA is supposed to be non-profit, just like the NFHS. So are the various other sports organizations, for example, ASA (softball), USSSA (softball). This whole "rule book online" discussion happens in softball as well, since ASA won't publish theirs online, but USSSA has their book online. What I've come to find (being in the education profession) is more of a concern about copyrighting than profiteering. The original copyright owner is afraid that once someone prints the ENTIRE book, they might be tempted to share copies of the book instead of just parts of it.

[rockyroad]

I don't know about anyone else, but I WANT a book - not just a PDF file on my computer. No way am I taking a laptop into the schools with me - half the time the room they put us in doesn't even lock. Those nice little rule books fit right in my bag, and no self-respecting juvenile delinquent is going to steal a rule book from a locker room.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Berkut

Still silly. Make them publicly available, like the NCAA does.The rules are not a secret are they?

So life should be free?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

So life should be free?

"Information wants to be free."

[Adam]

Originally Posted by mbyron

"Information wants to be free."

Maybe, but distributing it takes resources that will otherwise be redeployed if the profit is removed.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by mbyron

"Information wants to be free."

Everyone wants a free lunch...but someone, somewhere has to actually pay for the cost of the lunch. Unfortuantely too many people think that it is OK as long as it is someone else.

[Berkut]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Everyone wants a free lunch...but someone, somewhere has to actually pay for the cost of the lunch. Unfortuantely too many people think that it is OK as long as it is someone else.

What is the cost of putting rules online?

Effectively nothing, since they don't even have to host it themselves - someone else certainly would.

And they can still sell rulebooks - after all, I get mine as part of my association dues, and would continue to do so. I imagine some chunk of my dues goes to them, right?

This has nothing to do with a "free lunch" and everything to do with being annoyed that the rules are not available in an easily accessible, searchable digital format.

Whatever they are getting from me for the printed books, I would be happy to pay for the rights to a digital copy, and they would actually make even more money, since it costs a lot more to print a book.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Berkut

What is the cost of putting rules online?

Effectively nothing, since they don't even have to host it themselves - someone else certainly would.

And they can still sell rulebooks - after all, I get mine as part of my association dues, and would continue to do so. I imagine some chunk of my dues goes to them, right?

This has nothing to do with a "free lunch" and everything to do with being annoyed that the rules are not available in an easily accessible, searchable digital format.

Whatever they are getting from me for the printed books, I would be happy to pay for the rights to a digital copy, and they would actually make even more money, since it costs a lot more to print a book.

It has everything to do with a free lunch, due to the "information wants to be free" comments. And most people who are wanting the rules on line want them on line so they can access them for free.

The kicker is, they are available on line, just not for free, at the NFHS website. Of course, I have no idea how searchable it is.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Berkut

What is the cost of putting rules online?

Effectively nothing, since they don't even have to host it themselves - someone else certainly would.

And they can still sell rulebooks - after all, I get mine as part of my association dues, and would continue to do so. I imagine some chunk of my dues goes to them, right?

The cost of printing and distribution is almost certainly their largest cost...but it is not their only cost.

And do you think that revenue stream would continue if they were freely available? Once they become freely available, their entire revenue stream will dry up.

Originally Posted by Berkut

This has nothing to do with a "free lunch" and everything to do with being annoyed that the rules are not available in an easily accessible, searchable digital format.

Whatever they are getting from me for the printed books, I would be happy to pay for the rights to a digital copy, and they would actually make even more money, since it costs a lot more to print a book.

Close, but not quite. Once they make them easily/freely available in a portable format, let the filesharing begin....The one person that pays would be doing so for 10 more.