To many it seems inevitable that the big power conferences will soon be getting a chance to operate somewhat independently of the NCAA system. Whether that is ultimately good or bad for college sports remains up for debate, but if nothing else it could allow for a chance to see the schools with the power to operate on a different level find a way to do so without having to be held back by those without as much clout in the game. With university athletics personnel gathering this week for an annual NCAA convention, the topic of a split among division one schools has been a hot topic, and it appears there is support for a split to be made.
Pat Forde of Yahoo Sports reports 58 percent of administrators from all levels of NCAA membership support the power conferences forming their own division. If majority rules, brace yourself. Changes are coming.
“It makes sense for the five big revenue conferences to have their own voice,” NCAA president Mark Emmert told Yahoo Sports Friday. “A year ago that would have been a very difficult conversation. Now [power member schools] are saying, ‘Yeah, that makes sense.’ … People have just become more comfortable with the ideas and concepts of it.’ ”
According to Forde, the structure of the NCAA will be evaluated more in the next general meeting to take place in April. At that time it is expected a potential plan will be shared and taken back to the various conferences to review with university presidents during the various conference meetings. After that revisions will be brought to the table and reviewed before any votes can formally take place. Basically, this is not going to be an overnight process, but nobody expected it to be. The good news, for the sake of finding some sort of resolution, the goal is in place to find some peace by the end of the summer.
At the heart of the idea of a division split continues to be the boiling point of compensation for student-athletes beyond the typical scholarship limits currently in place. The big conferences have the funds available to offer more for players that smaller conferences do not. They are already playing on different playing fields in many respects, but the bigger conferences feel they are held back by not being able to do more because of the limitations the smaller conferences face.
There are a number of benefits to allowing the power conferences to run independently in their own division, but there should be concerns what this means for the other conferences that will be left behind. It is ultimately not the responsibility of the SEC or the Big Ten to worry about the stability of conferences like the Sun Belt or MAC, but it will certainly not be a positive result for the MAC or the Sun Belt and so on unless there will be a way to continue to allow for scheduling between the conferences. That would likely remain in play under any new structure that is formed, but we have a long way to go before seeing just what the powers that be cook up.