UI to examine its lottery ties
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Powered by Topix.net'); } //--></SCRIPT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The University of Iowa Presidential Committee on Athletics plans to discuss the university's involvement with the Iowa Lottery at its next meeting Feb. 8.
The issue has bubbled to the surface recently after the Iowa Lottery began a promotion to give away a customized Hawkeye Dodge Caliber SXT. Television commercials for the promotion are set inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena and use Iowa logos and the Iowa Fight Song.
"This is part of our annual agreement with the lottery," said Rick Klatt, UI associate athletic director of external affairs. "Interest groups have their position that it's a concern. It's one that, of course, we'll react to and we'll investigate."
Hawkeye Sports Properties, a division of Learfield Sports, is the official multimedia rights holder for UI athletics. Klatt said HSP handles all of the athletic department's promotions but that the UI athletic department has veto power in certain areas such as the lottery.
"This is one of the categories we can weigh in on," Klatt said. "It's an annual review, and it's one of those situations where it'll always be a discussion point, and rightfully so. It deserves to be. Discussion is a healthy thing."
The University of Iowa's ties to the Iowa Lottery are not new. Over the past four years, the Iowa lottery has offered trips to the Hawkeyes' Bowl game, Big Ten men's basketball tournament and Maui Invitational.
In addition, a year ago the Iowa Lottery gave away a Hawkeye Chopper, and this winter the Iowa Lottery gave away a Cyclone Chopper.
In response to initial concern from gambling opponents, UI athletics director Gary Barta said he planned to meet with UI Interim President Gary Fethke about the ads and the promotion.
Barta was traveling this week and unavailable for comment, but Klatt said he thought that meeting had not yet taken place.
"Gary (Barta) is comfortable with what we're doing," Klatt said. "But it's not something we're talking about every day."
Klatt indicated his office got two calls about the ads and the promotion.
The Dodge Caliber will be given away March 3 at halftime of the Iowa-Illinois men's basketball game. Ten semifinalists will be on hand to find out who wins the car.
Fans can enter by entering in nonwinning "Diamond Mine" instant-scratch tickets online. To view the commercials, go to www.ialottery.com.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Klatt said. "If the determination is this is something we don't want to be doing, we won't be doing it."
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