The Federal Trade Commission staff has said...

The Federal Trade Commission staff has said that provisions of the five-year contract between the College Football Assn. and ABC could violate federal antitrust laws, and at least some FTC staffers believe the CFA is an illegal cartel, the Dallas Morning News said.

“My understanding of what’s going on is that it is virtually a certainty that the FTC will proceed against the CFA and ABC,” an attorney told the paper.

Staff recommendations are not binding, but any action by the FTC short of dismissal leaves the CFA’s 5-year, $160 million contract with ABC Sports in jeopardy.

If the CFA is ruled in violation of antitrust laws, so-called “super conferences” would market their games to the networks. The Big Ten and Pacific 10 conferences, which are not CFA members, have such a deal with ABC.