Some ACC & B12 Presidents did call w/ Private Equity w/o commissioners!!!!!
“The latest example was a recent clandestine call that several ACC and Big 12 school presidents and high-ranking athletic administrators held with leaders of a private-equity backed super league. The call, earlier this month, was had without the involvement of ACC and Big 12 commissioners and was the second such Big 12-ACC joint meeting since December with those from Smash Capital, a venture capital firm proposing a super league model that features a $9 billion promise of cash infusion to college sports.”
Also B1G and SEC exploring Private Equity and or Financial backing too. Ross Dellenger has an explosive article on the subject. There is not only a battle going on between conferences, but between schools too, even in the P4
** Edited by Stech at 5/26/2025, 8:26:49 PM
35 Replies
1y
if he deems that the right move.
During its spring meetings last week, the Big Ten swung its support for doing just that — bifurcating (from NCAA) football governance.
House v NCAA suit, be gone if you are not in the NCAA. Legal Counselors, like @TerryD, what do you think the consequences of them pulling out would have on the ruling?
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
would, but I’m a business owner, not a lawyer.
(In response to this post by Pylons)
1y
Those schools would still be NCAA members, just with football governance carved out elsewhere. They're certainly not getting out of the back pay element. And otherwise, all the settlement really does is allow for (not require in any specific way) revenue sharing and put roster limits in place...I assume all other sports would be subject to the ultimate settlement outcome.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
I would think you are right about the back pay, but what they take every sport out of the NCAA?
Maybe similar to what NAIA schools have/are doing?
** Edited by Stech at 5/27/2025, 11:00:07 AM
(In response to this post by Pylons)
1y
NCAA rules/settlements no longer apply (except potentially the retroactive pay bit).
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
(In response to this post by Pylons)
H
HouClone
1y
for their own super league, the Big 12 and ACC should pull out of the NCAA revenue sharing settlement now. The athletes' lawyers would go after all colleges, but they would focus on the money, which would be with the Big 10 and SEC. They have provided the most and best recruited athletes in the past. Sounds like a lot of back pay these athletes didn't get. It also sounds like it will be very expensive for the Big 10 and SEC. They have it good with the Big 12 and ACC footing an equal bill right now.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
(In response to this post by HouClone)
2
2hhoop3
1y
the closer it gets to the rubber meeting the road and there is diminishing trust in most of the parties involved.
As far as pulling out goes, that only helps with future obligations or maybe affects is a better word. The schools are on the hook for backpay and thanks to the settlement the big schools crammed down the throat of the smaller schools the big got a good deal if it comes to fruition. If the settlement collapses it is a huge mess that I am not sure anybody really has a handle on the ramifications involved.
(In response to this post by Pylons)
1y
more money, more ego.... they may end-up getting courts and congressman(collusion) added to the equation. Hope there are enough new gambler viewers to replace those getting tired of this....
(In response to this post by 2hhoop3)
1y
probably exploring leaving too through Smash Capital, the possibilities are mind boggling.They certainly wouldn’t want to be forced to do something the P2 would not have to do. A lot of this could be just negotiating, but we will never know until the deal is done.
(In response to this post by HouClone)
1y
because you can fund those. They are not 70. We’re at 360 in Division I," Sankey said in April. “If what’s happening now just continues for years and years, you will quickly see a diminishment of the number of sports offered. That’s why there needs to be national standards, because its impacts are geopolitical.”
30 to 32 for Tier 1, is what Saban said on Gameday in the fall. I know because I just about dropped my coffee, and ran it back to listen to it again. I was expecting 48, because you would not be dropping SEC and B1G schools, and you would be picking up a handful of ACC schools (7) and maybe a couple of B12 schools, and you need to have more schools because the NFL is in large cities, and they dominate those cities not the College Football teams. We see empty seats in Miami, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, LA etc.
** Edited by Stech at 5/27/2025, 8:13:10 AM
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
1y
top schools in a "pro" model are ignoring what college athletics are.
While money and athletic pay are on the table publicly, one could argue convincingly that those items have always been the driver of the top schools. There is really nothing new here IMHO.
A "pro" league will not become the next NFL, or even NFL light. There are just way too many people that have allegiances to their own schools, whether FBS, or not. They will never be able to corner the national viewership audience without the participation of the other schools, no matter the money or revenue difference.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
totally different animal from the NFL, NBA, MLB. The Pro Sports are in big markets, and the College teams there are second place. It reminds of going to a North Carolina football game, sitting on the 50 yard line about 20 rows up. Their fans were blah about a very close game with Virginia Tech, but when the basketball team came out at halftime, they went nuts. You can’t manufacture those feelings, when their heart is somewhere else. College Football is built on more rural areas, and if you make it so nobody counts but those areas teams, look out, because the other fans will turn their attention somewhere else. There are many arguing this, but many in power don’t believe it.
That said, I think the train has left the station full of money, and I think we are headed for a split, I am just not sure if the split is two levels or three+ levels. There are going to be a lot of schools that just won’t be able to pay football 80%, basketball 15% and the rest 5%, so maybe the way to beat the House v NCAA, for more than just the P2 (which has already given their Commissioners the authority to leave the NCAA) is for all the D1’s to leave the NCAA. 🤷♂️
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
1y
rural areas, not so much really on the rural areas. VT isn't a NRV market team. PSU isn't a Centre County market team.
I think the question is if a top tier breaks off, can it do so in such a way that fans connected to those rural spots still feel connected and interested. And even if they do, do those not connected care much about a league oddly sandwiched between pro football and college football.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
play by our rules. The same goes for the ACC and B12. If you want to play professional football, then clamor or buy your way into the P2. The rest of us will play for college championships - for all sports, not just football.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
So I now have complete tv viewer data from 2015-2019 (halfway to the full 10 years). And for the ACC there is already a very clear segmentation of schools who get good ratings and those who don’t.
UNC is very clearly in the not good football ratings side. Which makes it crazy how they are being discussed at all for promotion to greener pastures.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
Basketball brand is huge. Is why Duke possibly will end up safe.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
1y
tournament. That would make them a good target if they do that. They would need power basketball schools to get the best ratings for that.
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
1y
includes Maryland in 2002.
I think the tournament would do just fine without the P2 schools, and is probably the only leverage the rest of college athletics has over the P2.
Let the P2 have their own basketball tournament, their own baseball world series, and every other sport they do not drop for their football. To hell with letting them have their cake and eat it too, If they won't share their newfound playoff wealth, then why should all of college basketball share on dime of the basketball tournament?
Honestly - let them find out what it is like to have 30 or 40 semi pro teams. maybe then, we can get back to something that at least resembles college ball. Pay ALL of the athletes, and why not add in the cheerleaders and band members as well.
There are only so many kids that can fill their rosters. The quality of play without them would not drop all that much IMO, and we would be watching student athletes for the most part again.
Pretty sure Lane would still fill up if they were in the hunt for national championships without the P2.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
including David beating Goliath. 🪨😁
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
1y
"College" football played by different rules is likely to lose appeal for the population not directly connected to the associated schools.
I kinda think that creating such a league would benefit those who are left behind though. Obviously there would still be those that outspend, but the separation of those at the top would likely be smaller. Might feel a little more like a level playing field.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
1y
in the P2 should separate, join with the G6 and all division 1 basketball schools, and form their own association. Separate from the "settlement", and come up with a fair and equitable way to pay athletes.
Just a fans musing.
(In response to this post by Pylons)
1y
then the G6 (some ACC & B12 booted in this, remember they all were not on the call). Then NCAA running Division 2 and 3. The first three could easily have big to small financial backers, but I could see up to 5 levels.
(In response to this post by Big12 guy)
1y
** Edited by Stech at 5/26/2025, 8:39:39 PM
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
It has no bearing on who actually wins the CFP because that has always been a very small list of brand teams.
In the 11 year CFP period that he mentions, we have OSU and UM from BIG. Ala, GA, LSU from SEC. Clemson from ACC. That’s it. And four of those six teams won it multiple times.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
promise of cash infusion to college sports. (Second call earlier this month)
This is just the one with “some” ACC and B12 schools and not their Commissioners 🤔, so somebody thinks there is some money to be had there. Not to mention the 4 Private Equity firms talking to the B1G, and Goldman Sachs talking to the SEC.
You are right, it’s about the money, huge money!!!
(In response to this post by HokieAl)
I'm OK with 5 AL and 11 AQs.
Just make all CFP candidates not in a CCG play a play-in game. Huge ratings.
And Sankey is right that the 4-4-2-2-1 might cost the SEC bids. How long did it take him to figure that out? Maybe he needs to tell this to the idiot "TV partners" who want multiple in-conference AQs.
I disagree however that a B12-ACC merger, even with best brands skimmed off the top would be almost the same as B1G and SEC, even assuming that Clemson and FSU would be a part of it. Would it close the gap? Yes. But not close in my opinion. And not close enough to keep FSU and Clemson happy.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
now the SEC is taking the heat, thus the Sankey comments about not really wanting so many automatic bids. However, the bigger point is no one trust anyone. The Commissioners don’t trust each other, the schools don’t trust the Commissioners, and the schools don’t trust the other schools. It’s absolutely bonkers out there!!
** Edited by Stech at 5/27/2025, 8:15:09 AM
(In response to this post by Maroon Baboon)
It's the biggest soap opera out there. If the B1G wanted AQs that mean FOX
wanted them (dummies). At this point I think I am just rooting for chaos. They've built a house of cards on greed and TV money and have ignored the sport's foundation of tradition, rivalry and loyal fans who attend games and support their schools through and through.
It kinda reminds me of the movie Ruthless People where everyone is connected and everyone is backstabbing someone else.
(In response to this post by Stech)
1y
Schools inside the Conference are battling. Schools are battling their own Commissioners.
Sankey is acting like he’s mad at ACC and B12, but he’s really mad they didn’t target their dismay to the B1G for pushing for the Automatic Bids more than anyone, you know, a former Alliance Partner. 🤣
This doesn’t even take in that the SEC and B1G have authorized their Commissioners to leave the NCAA.
YES, College Athletics are in CHAOS!!!
** Edited by Stech at 5/27/2025, 10:05:06 AM
(In response to this post by Maroon Baboon)