Wow. Leave it to SMU Athletics to knock off a reality TV show that has already been duplicated successfully on campus in hopes of increasing revenue.

Program Council and all the rest of those dedicated students in the Student Activities Center should feel honored to have those well-paid marketing folks at Moody blatantly play off the success of their program last semester.

But what about that marketing department? Couldn’t the hard-working men and women with college degrees whose job it is to brainstorm fresh ideas to sell more tickets have come up with something a little more original? And to run the program just as Fox airs the latest installment of “American Idol” is like committing suicide.

Sure, fame-hungry students, faculty and staff looking for those 15 minutes will audition, but Editorial Board guesses SMU Athletics will be sorely disappointed with the turnout at games.

On a positive note, the winner’s package, worth $20,000, includes a two-song recording contract, a one-year supply of groceries from Kroger and – what college student wouldn’t get excited about this – a year supply of Value Meals from McDonald’s.

Yippee!

Never has the Editorial Board seen an athletics department support such a desperate ploy at selling more seats at basketball games.