{
  "id": 4959060,
  "title": "Maricopa Community Colleges board candidates seek return of football",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/maricopa-community-colleges-board-candidates-seek-return-of-football",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-01T22:58:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/maricopa-community-colleges-board-candidates-225857010.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A group of candidates running for seats on the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) Governing Board hope to bring back football to the four community colleges in Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, and Mesa. John Crow, CEO of Century 21 Northwest Realty, is leading this movement and believes that four of the seven board members need to support reinstatement. Ryan Carracciolo and Susan Winder are also among the candidates advocating for the return of football. The MCCCD cut football programs at the four colleges after the 2018 season due to high insurance costs, capital expenditures for facilities, and travel expenses. Crow, a former linebacker at Phoenix College, played a key role in the sport and wants to see football return as a program for excellence and future life, particularly for first-generation college students. Former Glendale Community College coach Joe Kersting is supporting the movement and hopes that the new chancellor, Steven Bloomberg, will favor reinstating football. The article cites the loss of over 500 athletes per year as a result of the elimination of football programs at the four colleges.",
  "summary": "John Crow is hoping to be elected to the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board. On his platform is returning football.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}