NCAA to Investigate Childhood TV Ads of Duke's Savarino, Curry

[brevity]

Bizarre news out of Indianapolis. Looks like a Friday night news dump but it was published late Thursday. The Parquet has the story.

NCAA to Investigate Childhood TV Ads of Duke's Savarino, Curry
By Swish McBurney, The Parquet (Exclusive)

With the sports world focused on Indianapolis as the NCAA prepares to stage the 2021 Final Four, I'm hearing reports of a potential issue at Duke University, home of one of college basketball's most storied programs. The NCAA Eligibility Center, formerly known as the NCAA Clearinghouse, is looking into television commercials featuring one current student-athlete and one former student-athlete from the Blue Devils program.

I spoke with an NCAA official, who answered my questions on condition of anonymity. The Duke players in question are Michael Savarino, who just completed his redshirt freshman year, and Seth Curry, who graduated in 2013. The NCAA official said that the investigation was just starting, and refused to speculate on any possible penalties.

MCBURNEY: Tell me about the commercials that you are investigating.

OFFICIAL: Mr. Savarino did a pair of commercials for ESPN SportsCenter @Night in 2015 where he and his brother watched NBA highlights on ESPN with their grandfather, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. In the first commercial, Coach K sent a text message, but Kyrie Irving could not decipher the emoji. In the second commercial, Coach K used his grandsons to communicate with Justise Winslow by emoji text message.

savarino.jpg

MCBURNEY: Didn't Seth Curry also do a commercial in the same campaign for ESPN?

OFFICIAL: He did, but he was a professional player by then. Mr. Savarino, however, was in high school at the time, so his amateur status is at issue.

MCBURNEY: So why are you also investigating Seth Curry?

OFFICIAL: We were recently informed of a Burger King commercial from around 1994 featuring Mr. Curry alongside his brother Stephen Curry and their father, Charlotte Hornets player Dell Curry.



MCBURNEY: Seth would have been about 4 years old back then. So kids can't do commercials and play for the NCAA now?

OFFICIAL: In general, kids can appear in commercials, but in some special circumstances the NCAA needs to take a closer look.

MCBURNEY: What special circumstances? This isn't an athletic advantage. Any future college student can do a commercial for Burger King or ESPN.

OFFICIAL: Yes, but not every future college student can be Dell Curry's son. Not every future college student can be Coach K's grandson. That's a special circumstance.

MCBURNEY: Let's move on. Michael Savarino and Seth Curry aren't really endorsers in these commercials, are they? ESPN is working with Coach K, and his grandsons are tagging along. Dell Curry goes to Burger King, and his sons are tagging along. Can you really lose your amateur status for tagging along?

OFFICIAL: Not necessarily. It depends on how they were compensated.

MCBURNEY: Burger King would have paid Dell Curry or donated to his charitable foundation. Seth would not have seen any money.

OFFICIAL: There are other forms of compensation.

MCBURNEY: Like food off the Burger King menu? Seth is ineligible because he ate a french fry?

OFFICIAL: Or an onion ring. We're looking into it.

Posted April 1, 2021 06:53pm
Updated April 1, 2021 11:18pm

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

We are through the looking glass.

[TKG]

NCAA flailing for relevance.

[mkirsh]

I would take a close look at the posting date at the bottom. But it certainly seems like something the NCAA would do (but they’d have to go after Davidson too).

[golfinesquire]

April fools perhaps

[brevity]

I would take a close look at the posting date at the bottom. But it certainly seems like something the NCAA would do (but they’d have to go after Davidson too).

The NCAA would be wise to leave Patrick Davidson alone.

[arnie]

I would take a close look at the posting date at the bottom. But it certainly seems like something the NCAA would do (but they’d have to go after Davidson too).

An obvious April Fool joke.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Posted April 1, 2021 06:53pm
Updated April 1, 2021 11:18pm

hmmmm

[Truth&Justise]

OFFICIAL: Or an onion ring. We're looking into it.

Posted April 1, 2021 06:53pm
Updated April 1, 2021 11:18pm

Ha! That's a good one. Good effort for an April fool's joke.

[kako]

OFFICIAL: Or an onion ring. We're looking into it..

Hah! That's gotta become a meme.

9F

[Bluedog]

Ironically, I actually DO recall Savarino's appearance in the commercial with pops coming up and the NCAA cleared it.

(Yes, obvious April Fool's posting it on April 2 was tricky brevity! Nice writing, quite clever &#128522.

[JetpackJesus]

Bizarre news out of Indianapolis. Looks like a Friday night news dump but it was published late Thursday. The Parquet has the story.

Cleveland State is in deep, deep trouble if what I'm reading is accurate.

[Steven43]

Cleveland State is in deep, deep trouble if what I'm reading is accurate.

Classic. 😊

[uh_no]

Cleveland State is in deep, deep trouble if what I'm reading is accurate.

triple secret probation

[TKG]

Well I certainly fell for it hook, line and sinker. Still think the NCAA is searching for relevance; so there!