Sports Fans Honor Cohen with Most Valuable Policymaker Award

May 16, 2012 Issues: Education, Memphis, Tennessee

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sports Fans Coalition, the nation’s largest nonprofit fan advocacy organization, honored Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09) this week with its first annual “Most Valuable Policymaker” award. Cohen has been a leading voice in Washington calling for a legitimate college football playoff.

“It is an honor to be recognized by the Sports Fans Coalition for my work to bring a playoff system to Division I college football,” Cohen said.  “College athletes and fans both deserve to know who the best team is and the only way to truly know that is by having a playoff.  I look forward to continuing my work to create a playoff in college football that creates millions of dollars in new revenue for our public universities and creates a true national championship.”

In December, Cohen and Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) formed the Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus to examine issues surrounding college sports, particularly the lack of a true playoff in college football.

“College football fans around the country are grateful to Rep. Cohen for his efforts to bring about a true postseason playoff,” Sports Fans Coalition Executive Director Brian Frederick said. “Rep. Cohen’s calls for a bona fide playoff have undoubtedly been heard by those in charge of college football.”

Sports Fans Coalition honored Cohen with the award, as well as Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Reps. Barton, Steve Scalise (R-La.), Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.) and FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell. All those receiving the award had fought for fans on the issue of blackouts or college football playoffs.

“Rep. Cohen has said that a true college football playoff would not only be fairer, it would generate far more money for our schools,” Frederick said. “His is a vital voice in the debate.”

Sports Fans Coalition is based in Washington and was founded in 2009 by former members of the Clinton and Bush White Houses. It serves to fight for fans on public policy issues like stadium subsidization, blackouts and college athletics.

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