Could SEC, Big Ten leave NCAA? Here are 4 more realistic outcomes of new alliance | Toppmeyer

This alliance isn’t capitalized, but it wields the influence to create change.

Last week, the SEC and Big Ten announced that university officials from those two conferences will form an advisory group to chart a future for college sports. These “Power 2” conferences are locking arms after the NCAA pleaded – unsuccessfully – for federal help to navigate NIL. Antitrust lawsuits mount against college sports’ governing body.

College sports has reached an inflection point.

This isn’t the first interconference buddy group we’ve seen. Remember the Alliance – with a capital ‘A’ – that featured the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12? Their pact became a farce, as evidenced by the Big Ten pillaging the Pac-12’s cupboard.

It’s debatable whether this alliance will achieve substantial evolution for college sports, but one thing is evident: The SEC and Big Ten, as super-conferences that collect the biggest media-rights profits and house some of college sports’ most powerful brands, are not like other Division I conferences, and they intend to flex that muscle.

What could this SEC/Big Ten union produce? A full-on secession from the NCAA? Probably not. Here are a few likelier possibilities:

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1. Leverage to lean on the College Football Playoff

When negotiations were ongoing about whether to expand the four-team playoff, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey floated an idea: Maybe, the SEC would stage its own football playoff.

I don’t think Sankey got close to embracing that idea, but levying the threat gave him leverage to negotiate for an expanded playoff that met his approval. That’s a 12-team format with half the bids earmarked for at-large qualifiers. The more at-large qualifiers, the better for the SEC and Big Ten.

This existing playoff contract is in place…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/could-sec-big-ten-leave-111124942.html

Author : Knox News | The Knoxville News-Sentinel

Publish date : 2024-02-06 11:11:24

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